


The Lost Woods

by OmniStar



Series: The Lost Woods Series [1]
Category: Gravity Falls, Multi-Fandom, Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon), Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Crossover, Has darker themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2018-07-22 00:05:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 23,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7410529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OmniStar/pseuds/OmniStar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The forest was always mans fear. The fear of the unknown, the strange and the beasts that live within it. It is so close and yet, it feels like it is in another world and may be this forest is. So the children that found this forest must face these fears and though they may feel hopeless they must remember there is always at least one star in the sky.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Arrivals

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to see the girls side of the story go see The Lost Woods: The Search

** Steven **

“Now don’t go too far up the path and stay on the path and keep a eye on Lion, Steven! Connie!” called Pearl walking with the other Crystal Gems and Greg.  
They were exploring a new camping ground that was recomened by one of Gregs customers and since Greg never been camping before he wanted to try it. Of course he also thought after the whole alien invasion they needed a vacation. Though, he thought he needed this probably as much as Steven and thankfully Connie’s parents let her come for the day. He had to make sure though to be back to the camp ground before dark.

  
“I know! We will Pearl!” said Steven running ahead of the hiking trail with Connie and Lion following close behind them. They both had their cell phones along in their backpacks. So they both would be able to contact them if they go lost or too far ahead.

  
“They will be ok right?” asked Pearl looking back at Greg and the rest as they walked.

  
“Don’t worry they will be fine, this is their first camping trip! Well it is mine too, but they are just exploring,” said Greg.

  
“They also have their cell phones,” said Garnet. “and Lion.”

  
“Yeah! Just relax Pearl!” said Amethyst as she jumped onto some boulders that were next to the path and jumped from boulder to boulder.

  
Mean while Steven, Connie and Lion were up ahead on the path. “Is this your first time camping?” asked Steven

  
“Yes, my parents aren’t really into camping, but I always wanted to try it,” said Connie with a smile. “I even read up on some camping books and guides before coming. So I am prepared for anything!”

  
“So do you know what to do if a bear attacks?” asked Steven

  
“Yup,” said Connie

  
“A mountain lion?”

  
“Yes”

  
“A wolf?”

  
These questions continued until they came across a fork in the path. “Hmm….” said Steven looking at the sign that was in the middle of the fork. “We are suppose to stay on trail 1 right?”

  
“I thought we were to stick to trail 5…” said Connie as she petted Lion as he came up next to her.

 

“May be we should wait here for- Lion!” said Steven as Lion suddenly bolted down one of the paths. He quickly went after lion.

  
“Steven wait! We should stay here!” said Connie as she followed Steven. Lion kept running down the path and Steven and Connie were trying to keep up with him. The path getting narrower and have a sharper slope to one side.

  
“Why did he just bolt like that?!” asked Connie confused and concerned.

  
“I don’t know, may be he sensed something?” said Steven he then had a though. “May be he sensed Peridot?!”

  
“Then shouldn’t we go back and tell the Gems?” asked Connie. They then both stop as the path came to a sharp slope one side and a canyon wall on the other. Lion had seemed to dissapear and fog was starting to set in. “But we don’t know if it is Peridot…” he was then quiet. He wanted to find out where Peridot was, but at the same time he didn’t want to endanger Connie. They had Lion, or should he said did have Lion. “I think… we should go a little bit further, but if we don’t find any signs of Lion or even Peridot we should go back.”

  
Connie nodded. “Alright, but I think we should go single file on this part of the path.”

  
“Right, it looks to skinny for the both of us, I will first,” said Steven slowly walking ahead. He tried to focus on looking for signs of either Lion or Peridot, but the fog was getting thick now.

  
“I really think we should go back,” said Connie. “The fog is getting too thick. I can barely even see you.”

  
“Yeah may be we should, I can even barely see the path,” said Steven.

  
They both then turned around and slowly made their way back. Then suddenly the path underneath Steven crumbled. “Steven!” shouted Connie as she quickly turned and grabbed his hand.

  
“Thanks,” said Steven his heart racing.

  
“No-” said Connie as pulling him up, but then the ground under her crumbled too. Screams filled the air as they began to fall down the steep hill. Connie still holding Steven’s hand and trying to reach out to something with the other hand. Fear was gripping her as she couldn’t find anything to grab to stop them from going down the hill. Until she grasped onto something hairy and soft.

  
“Lion!” said Steven as Lion was trying to keep his balance digging his claws into the ground. Connie sighed in relief as she saw Lion. He must of heard their screams and came back. She now thought everything was going to be ok. Well until Lions mane started glowing. All eyes were wide. “How could that be possible?!” thought Steven it was the same glow that allowed him to go inside of Lions mane. The same glow that allowed him to get stuff out. They then started to slip down the slope again, as something came out of Lions mane. They were going down the slope fast now and couldn’t really reconigize what came out. Then they hit something, they didn’t know what, but it caused him to split apart, unlocking hands.

  
“Steven!” called Connie

  
“Connie!” called Steven as they both rolled down the hill to the forest bellow.

 

* * *

 

** Dipper **

“They went this way!” shouted Dipper as he made a sharp right carrying a net with Mabel behind him with a leaf blower. Today they were helping Lazy Susan with what looked to be a gnome problem. A couple weeks ago she noticed that her pies started to go missing and it turned out it was gnomes trying to score a sweet free meal. Now they were on the trail of gnomes that just stole a pie.

“For having small legs they sure run fast!” said Mabel trying to keep up as they ran through the forest.

“I know right?” said Dipper as they continue to run, but to no avail as the gnomes got away. Dipper and Mabel stopped panting, trying to catch their breath. “Ok, I think we can safely say we can’t catch them this way. We probably have to set up a trap.”

“Yeah good idea,” said Mabel panting. She then sighed as she thought this was going to be easy, but she should of known the gnomes were going to be more trouble than they are worth. Then something caught her eye, a shadow. “Dipper did you see that?”

“See what?” asked Dipper

“A shadow, it looked familiar…”

“Where did you see it?”

She pointed to the direction where she saw the shadow. They both stood quietly looking over at the direction hoping they would see it again, but they unfortunately didn’t. “May be you just saw a black squirrel or something,” said Dipper.

“May be…” said Mabel unsure what she even saw, so she didn’t really argue. “Lets just go back to the shack.” As they turned around though, they saw the shadow again and deffinatly knew what, or they should say who it was.

“Did you see that?” asked Mabel

“Yeup,” said Dipper “That was Bill Cipher wasn’t it?”

“Yeup,” said Mabel “Or at least his shadow, do you think we should follow it?”

“I think we should, he may be up to something,” said Dipper as he began to follow the shadow.

“What if it is a trap?” asked Mabel concerned following her brother. Fog started to roll into the forest and a chill ran up Mabels spine.

“I don’t know, I don’t think it is a trap….” Said Dipper and even though the fog was getting thicker and thicker he didn’t even have thoughts of turning back. He wanted to know what Bill was up to. He needed to know. The forest was also changing it seemed like, it was becoming unfamiliar to him now. He was slowly not knowing where he was as the fog was becoming so thick he couldn’t even barely see where he was.

“Dipper I think we should go back,” said Mabel. “I can even barely see my hand that is in front of my face!”

“I think we should go a bit farther, we are so close and we could even may be get the jump on Bill, Mabel! Said Dipper as he immediately expected a response, but he never heard it. “Mabel?” he asked stopping hoping she would bump into him, but she didn’t. Panic started to set in as he now felt like he was alone “Mabel?! MABEL!”

* * *

 

** Wirt **

It’s been a couple months since the incident. Fall turned into Winter and Winter has started to turn into Spring. Though, his mind wandered to the world he and Greg found himself in that Halloween night. Wirt even knowing that what he had was a dream still felt there was something more to that world, the Unknown. Everything he touched real, the people he met real, the fear… yeah very real and the thing was his brother had the same exact dream! Of course it was in his perspective, but everything else exactly the same! It couldn’t be a coincident, could it?

He often wander over to the grave yard and look at the wall he climbed over that faithful night. That is where he was right now. Just looking at it quietly wondering if just may be if he climbed back over the wall he would be there again. Wirt had also secretly wanted to visit it again. Only because he knew now after the beast was destroyed he would have nothing to worry about. He could see how Miss Langtree and the school, visit Mr. Endicott and Miss. Grey’s mainsion and see Beatrice… Beatrice, he often thought about her too.

“Can we visit them?”

Wirt jumped as he noticed his half brother standing beside him. He almost had read his mind. “Greg! What are you doing here?!”

“Well, you weren’t home when I came back from school so I thought you were probably here,” said Greg “I know you come here a lot.”

“What? No I don’t.”

“Yes you do, I seen you come here. So now that we are both here can we visit them now?”

“What?”

“Visit them? Can we? Please?”

Wirt was silent as he looked at Greg. He really didn’t know what to say. Him and his parents, both of them never said anything about the world not being real. Wirt didn’t blame them. They both almost died! They didn’t want to upset Greg, he himself didn’t wanted to upset him either back then, but it had been months it was already spring. “Greg…” said Wirt slowly trying to choose his words carefully, though it was hard. “I wish we could visit them… but Greg, that world, those people… it was all just a dream. There is no other world over the fence there is just a rail road and a lake.”

Greg was quiet now. May be he already knew? He secretly hoped he did.

“No, that place was real,” said Greg which made Wirts heart sank. “It had to be Wirt! Because you were there too!”

“Greg-“ he was then cut off

“And I know you believe it was real too! That is why you come here! You want to go back! You just said you wanted too!” said Greg.

“I know I did, but Greg use your head! It couldn’t possibly be real… And your right may be I do wanted to be real too, but I personally don’t want to be barely run over by a train again!” said Wirt.

“Well, this time we will look before we jump,” said Greg running over to the garden wall and started climbing it.

Wirt sighed, but may be this is what Greg needed. May be he had to see with his own eyes that there was no world. Which did bring a bit of hope in his heart, but at the same time fear of time repeating itself. Wirt still followed his brother over the fence. Making sure to grab him before he jumped over the fence. “Wait!” said Wirt climbing up beside him. His heart seemed to speed up a bit as made sure that no trains were coming, but then he took a couple breaths. “It’s safe.”

Wirt then felt a hand on his. He looked to see Greg holding his hand with a smile on his face. Telling him, don’t worry trust me. Wirt gave a gentle smile back as they both went over the garden wall. Landing with a soft thud Wirt noticed the train tracks, they were still in this world. That didn’t stop Greg, though, the small boy running down the hill with laughter. “Greg wait!”

Wirt quickly followed his half brother down the hill. He noticed that fog was starting to roll in, not an uncommon thing during spring, but this fog though, was different. He could just feel it.

“Come on Wirt! Let’s first see Beatrice!” said Greg as he ran into the woods.

“Greg no! Wait for me!” said Wirt as he followed him. The fog getting thicker and him getting goose bumps, this was bad. Something was wrong. Then a random thought hit him, was this a good thing? May be by some miracle that they were going back? That thought quickly passed though as he couldn’t hear his brother any more nor see his brother! That fog rolled in too fast, it was unnatural. Now fear started to set in as he stopped and called out “Greg! Greg!” he waited for response. He got one, but not the one he wanted or thought he would hear again. He heard a chuckle. He knew that chuckle, it was the Beasts chuckle and Wirt’s heart almost stopped. His legs didn’t though, his mine was frozen, but his body acted out in fear and started to run. Now running away from the Beast.


	2. Chapter 2

“This is not possible, this is not possible,” thought Wirt to himself as he kept running. The Beast is dead, the Woodsman killed it! It’s dead. But it is not. He heard it! It’s going to get him, it’s going to get GREG! Wirt now felt like an idiot as he just left his brother, though, techniquely he left him, but he should be looking for him not running away! The fog is so thick though, it’s going to be.

The fog cleared so quickly he didn’t have a chance to stop as he ran into someone. Falling onto the ground he quickly as he could looked back. It almost seemed like the fog was not even there at all, but it seemed the Beast was gone… for now.

“Um, hello?! Still on top of me!” said the boy bellow him.

“Oh! Sorry!” said Wirt as he got off him and stood up. He looked to be twelve years old and had brown hair like he did, but most of it was hidden underneath his baseball cap. “I just… was being chased, and the fog , I didn’t see you.”

“It’s ok, the fog got me too, I was chasing something and got separated with my sister,” said the boy standing up also. “I am guessing you got lost too?”

“Yeah I came with my sibling too, my half brother. But… the fog… it came so suddenly, but… I don’t know about you, but there is something wrong with this fog… this place… I just… feel it,” said Wirt. It didn’t feel like the world he went to before, but at the same time… the Beast…

“I agree with you, I don’t like this place either…” said the boy.

It was silent for a couple minutes as they briefly observed their surroundings. “Anyways my name is Wirt,” said Wirt.

“Dipper,” said the boy. “So what was chasing you again? Could you describe it?” he said taking out a journal with the number three on it.

Wirt was about the speak as a scream split the air. “What was that?” asked Wirt.

“It could be our siblings let’s go!” said Dipper obviously a man of action as he ran off to where he heard the scream.

“Hey wait up!” said Wirt as he chased after him. A knot in Wirt’s stomach as he thought of the Beast. He prayed that it wasn’t his brother who screamed, he almost lost him once he didn’t want to lose him again, but could he really take on the beast himself? They both came into a little open clearing next to a very sharp slope with another boy laying on the ground unconscious. He seemed to be almost the same age as Dipper, but had dark brown and curly hair.

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh,” said Wirt as they went over to him. The boy was unconscious. “Is he even breathing?”

They were both quiet as they looked at each other, worry looks on each other’s faces as Dipper turned back to the boy. “Hey dude! Wake up, wake up!” he said shaking the boy. Dippers heart was racing as he thought of Bill. Was this a omen of what would happen to him? Of course Wirt was thinking the same thing.

His eyes opened suddenly “CONNIE!” he quickly sat up and clonked heads with Dipper.

“Ouch!” they both said as they held their foreheads.

The boy though was panicing as he looked at them. “Have you seen my friend Connie?! She is the same age is me, dark hair, dark skin, very smart.”

“Whoa, whoa easy dude,” said Dipper.

“I can’t! We were hiking, Lion ran away, it got foggy we fell down the hill, she may be dead!” said the boy.

“Hey, hey you are still alive aren’t you? I’m sure Connie is too,” said Wirt. “Is she your sister?”

The dark hair boy relaxed a little. “Yeah… may be your right, she is tough… but no she isn’t my sister. She is my best friend.” He seemed to relax more now, comforted by Wirts words.

“What’s your name?” asked Wirt.

“Steven, Steven Universe,” he said.

“Steven, my name is Wirt and this is Dipper,” said Wirt introducing him and Dipper. Though they both may be younger than Wirt he was relieved that they didn’t seem to be like his half brother.

“It’s nice to meet you guys,” said Steven with a bright cheerful smile. “So… do you have any idea where we are? I was on trail 1, but when Lion bolted off I think he ran off to trail 5?”

Wirt and Dipper looked at him confused.

“Trail 1? Like a hiking trail?” asked Dipper.

“Yeah… this isn’t a hiking tail? I was with my family camping a couple miles from Beach City…” said Steven now getting worried.

“I don’t think so and I never heard of Beach City, we or at least I climbed over the garden wall of our cemetery with my half brother and was wandering the woods behind it,” said Wirt even more worried.

“This doesn’t make sense! I never heard of Beach City either! And even if I did I live in Gravity Falls, Oregon! I was chasing after gnomes with my sister in the woods!” said Dipper almost panicking.

Then there were was pure silence. Each of their faces held fear and confusing as none of them realized that none of them are where they thought they were. They were in an unfamiliar forest to all of them. All of them didn’t know what to say, but Steven then broke the silence. “If we are not where I thought I was, and we are not where you thought we were or you,” said Steven looking at the both of them. “Then… where are we?”

Again there was silence for a bit. “I…” said Wirt breaking the silence this time. “I don’t think any of us knows…”


	3. Chapter 3

Silence fell upon the group of boys they just didn’t know what to say at first, but then ended with Dipper taking in a deep breath then releasing it. “Ok, may be we should tell each other where we came from and explain how we really got here, I mean like in detail,” said Dipper. “So we can try to figure out where we are or at least try… I mean, I have no idea what we should do, but we have to do something.” He said with a frustrated sigh as he sat down trying to think.

“Yeah, yeah! I think that is a great idea!” said Steven trying to encourage Dipper as he then sat down beside him with a smile. “I mean, since we are probably going to be together for a while, I think we should get to know each other a bit and this could be a good start.” Steven then looked up at Wirt who was still standing and patted the ground next to him. Wirt sighed as he sat down.

“I guess it couldn’t hurt to tell a bit about each other,” said Wirt. He sure didn’t have any real secrets to hid, but at the same time, he was still cautious. Wirt was in a unknown and possibly dangerous place with two boys he barely knew and also have secrets of their own.

“How about you start Dipper, since it’s your idea,” said Steven.

“Oh, ok,” said Dipper as he was quiet for a second to figure out where to begin. “Well… I should probably start with my town, well not exactly my town, because I’m just spending the summer there with my great uncle, but anyways this town is full of supernatural activity.” He then took out the journal and place it on the ground opening up. “And I found that out when I found this book, the author is unknown, but it tells about all the creatures that live in Gravity Falls.” He began flipping the pages to show some of the creatures. “I ran into many of these creatures, but the most powerful is this guy.” He then flipped the page to reveal Bill Cyphers page. “This is Bill Cypher, a very powerful demon and very dangerous. We met him and fought him before, but both times we met him… well… it was hard to get rid of him. He was also the guy that led me here.”

“He was?” asked Steven.

“Yeah, but not directly I mean he didn’t tell us to follow him, but Mabel and I decided to follow him because we thought he was up to something,” explained Dipper. “When the fog set in though, Mabel wanted to go back… but I didn’t listen to her… I had to know what Bill Cypher was up to…”

“Hey it’s alright, we will find her,” said Steven as he then looked at Wirt. “How about you Wirt?”

“Well… My hometown is nothing like Dippers… it’s just normal, no monsters, no ghosts… but…” said Wirt. “A couple months ago on Halloween night… me and my half brother were chased over a garden wall in the cemetery while trying to get back a embarrassing tape from a girl I liked… and well we were transported into a different world… where strange supernatural stuff like your world happened and met many different people, but… in reality we were struck by a train and almost drowned in a lake…” he then sighed. “But everything felt so real, but at the same time I knew it couldn’t be real… I guessed I couldn’t really accept it because I always visit the garden wall and today when I visiting it Greg followed me and asked if we could go back… He had no shadow of a doubt that world was real, but I didn’t believe it and to prove it to him that it wasn’t real. So we went over the wall and went into the woods. Fog came in too and I lost Greg, but then I heard a chuckle. I recognized the voice as the Beast. A creature that tried to basically kill us when we were over in the other world, but then was killed. Or at least so we thought.” He looked down at the ground. “I panicked… I ran… I didn’t even think about my brother at that point, which makes me really guilty… I left him… I just… left him…”

Steven looked at Wirt and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, you were scarred… sometimes you can’t control yourself when you are scarred, but now that you know that he is out there. You can be a little less scarred with knowing.”

“Yeah, may be your right,” said Wirt. “Now that I know he is out there, I know I have to find Greg.”

“And we will! Along with Mabel and Connie!” said Steven with a smile.

Wirt gave a small smile. “Yeah, now it’s your turn.”

“All righty then,” said Steven. “Well, in beach city, well, we don’t have any supernatural monsters like Dippers, but we have gem monsters.”

“Gem monsters?” asked Dipper curiously.

“Yeah they have gems like this,” said Steven pulling up his shirt to reveal his gem.

“Whoa, whoa!” said Dipper looking at the gem with wide eyes and Wirt was the same way. “What is that?!”

“That’s my gem,” said Steven.

“How did you get it?”

“I was born with it. Techniquelly it’s my moms.”

“You’re mom had a gem for her belly button?”

“Yeah, but gems don’t have belly buttons… or at least I don’t think they do…” said Steven.

“What are crystal gems?” asked Wirt.

“Well, they are aliens,” said Steven.

“So was your mom a gem?” asked Wirt.

“Yes, she was the leader of our group called the Crystal Gems that protect our earth, but she then gave up her physical form to bring me into the world,” said Steven.

“So you are alien too?” asked Dipper.

“Well sort of, I am half alien, my mom was a alien and my dad is a human,” explained Steven.

“So you are a half human, half Gem alien that if I am following correctly is apart of a group called the Crystal Gems that protect your planet from gem monsters,” said Dipper.

“Yes and also other Gems,” added Steven.

“Why other Gems? Aren’t they your friends or should I say allies?” asked Wirt.

Steven’s face turned sad. “Yeah… it turns out my mom and the other Crystal Gems are alien rebels and the other gems out there in space that want us dead…”

There was another silence. “Wow… so if you don’t mind me asking… why?” asked Dipper.

“Well… my mom really cared about the Earth and all that lived on it and the Gems, the bad ones, they were doing something horrible to the planet and my mom couldn’t take it no more… So she went against her own kind… To save this planet and after all that… could only save her closet friends… who are the Crystal Gems that raised me, Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl, of course along with my father.”

“I see… So how did you get here?” said Dipper trying to change the subject.

“Well, me, my dad, the Crystal Gems, Lion and Connie were hiking and me, Lion and Connie went ahead,” said Steven.

“Who is Lion?” asked Wirt.

“My pet Lion,” said Steven.

“You have a pet Lion?! How is that even possible?” asked Wirt.

“That is another story, but back to how I got here. Lion darted up the path and disappeared. Connie and me tried to follow him, but fog rolled in and we then fall down a steep slope. Lion tried to save us, but it didn’t work and then I wound up here.”

“I see…” said Wirt. “Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t think we got anywhere with this.”

“I don’t know, I think this was important,” said Steven. “I mean, now we aren’t total strangers to each other.”

“Yeah, but we still don’t know where we are,” said Dipper.

“Well, I think it doesn’t really matter,” said Steven. “I think we really just need to focus on getting our siblings and friend and find a way out of here.”

Steven was defiantly one to think of the glass as half full to Dipper and Wirt. Just like their siblings. Dipper though did agree though, they really just needed to find their siblings and get out somehow. “Yeah, but how about we just rest and camp out, because I don’t know about you guys, but I just realized that it starting to get dark.” Looking around the boys did notice it too.

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea,” said Wirt. “Too bad we don’t have anything to start a fire with.”

“Hey I do! I got loads of things in my backpack!” said Steven taking off his cheeseburger backpack and look through it for the fire starters.

Dipper couldn’t help but smile at the backpack. It was totally something his sister would buy if she knew where to buy it.

“Ah, ha! Here we go, fire starters, blankets and we can use these coats for pillows!” said Steven taking out the stuff.

“Whoa, how much stuff do you have in that thing and how can you fit all that in there?” asked Wirt.

“Everything is a pocket in this backpack! And also I packed a lot, because I never been camping before so I wanted to be prepared for everything,” said Steven.

“Well I can see that,” said Wirt.

“Yeah, we should probably start making that fire before dark,” said Dipper.

The other two nodded in agreement and started working on getting the wood and get the fire started.

 

* * *

 

In the shadow of the woods two figures watched the boys from afar. They knew two of the boys very well. One of them softly chuckled, “How funny they think they are just simply lost… they have no idea where they are,” said one of the figures he looked human, but was shrouded in black with large twisted antlers.

“Yeah, I like it,” said the other floating next to him, he was small and triangular shaped.

“Yes, I do like it also, but… that third boy… I do not like,” said the first figure.

“Do I detect fear in your voice Beast?” asked the other figure. “I mean come on, he will be as easy as the other two.”

“You underestimate him Bill Cypher, and that will be our down fall if you continue to believe it,” said Beast. “Boys like that are ones that never let negatives pull them down, always look for another way, always a bright light in the darkness.”

“Yeah, yeah I hear you, but I still don’t get what you are seeing in him,” said Bill. “If you worried about bright lights, you should be more worried about those other three kids. If they meet up with them, then it will be game over.”

“Yes, but I think that spell we did will keep them separated,” said Beast. “I am not as worried about them as that… third entity that is also with us…”

“Yeah you do have a point, with her around she could defiantly rip a whole in our plans…” Bill agreed with the Beast. “But I think we should plant the seeds while we are still here, I mean I don’t think one night not looking with her will hurt our plans.”

“Yes, I don’t think one night will, but after tonight one of us has to be looking for her,” said Beast looking up at the sky as it turned dark. The sky was as black as their souls and silent as the grave, but there was something in the sky. One bright star that light up the sky, that one star that brings a sliver of hope for the two groups.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has a song featured on Steven Universe. 
> 
> It's called "Be Wherever you are" and here is the link to the song  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usXTGY4anrQ

After the fire was made and their make shift beds somewhat made all seemed calm. “Hey what kind of sandwiches you want? I got ham, turkey, and classic pb & j,” said Steven rummaging through his backpack for their meal for tonight. “I also got juice boxes.”

“I think I will have ham,” said Dipper.

“Turkey would be fine,” said Wirt.

“Alrighty then,” said Steven as he took out the sandwiches and juice boxes, but as he was getting out their meal he gasped and with a wide grin he pulled out his cell phone. “My cellphone!”

“Whoa! You have a cell phone?! Why didn’t you tell us this earlier?!” asked Dipper as well as Wirt quickly coming over to him.

“I guess I was so worried about Connie that I forgot I had it, but I feel sort of dumb because that should have been one of the first things to think of to finding her,” Steven said embarrassed.

“Well, we don’t even know it will work? Is there even reception here?” asked Wirt.

“Well there is one way to find out,” said Dipper.

“Right!” said Steven as he then opened his flip phone and called Connie. The silence in anticipation was gripping the three boys, but a collective sigh came as there was no signal. “Man, I thought that would really work…” Steven said as he flipped through his phone and pulled up a picture of he and Connie on the beach.

“Is that her?” asked Wirt.

“Yeah, she is my best friend, we do everything together…” said Steven.

“How did you meet?” asked Dipper noticing Steven was getting a bit down.

“Well, I first saw her at a parade that I was in and she dropped her glow stick bracelet as she was leaving. I picked it up and tried to find her, but couldn’t so I saved it in the refrigerator until I could find her again. When I found her,” he smiled. “Well… I accidentally trapped her in my bubble and we spend all day trying to break it, but when we did we got attacked by a gem monster and then we became friends.”

“Huh, weird beginning to a friendship,” commented Wirt.

“Yeah, but my life is different from the average human,” chuckled Steven then picked up a sandwich as his stomach growled. “But enough about me,” he said taking bite of his sandwich and continued with his mouth full. “What about your siblings?”

“Well, um…” said Dipper as he picked up his sandwich, Wirt doing the same thing. “My sister, well likes to look on the bright side of things,” said Dipper. “Even if there is none and loves boy bands, stickers and knitting sweatshirts. Normal girl stuff, but even though she can be annoying at times we always have each others backs. We could tell each other almost anything.”

“That is good, I’m not sure if I could do that with Greg,” said Wirt.

“Why not?” asked Steven.

“Because… He is just a kid, I mean young kid. He couldn’t possibly understand what I go through, unlike Dipper who’s sibling is the same age. He is a goofy, always run off and almost seems to be too friendly for his own good,” said Wirt. “I mean after what we went through last Halloween I can respect him more, but again… he is just a kid…”

“Well… may be he doesn’t need to understand,” said Steven.

“Huh?” asked Wirt not quiet understanding him.

“I mean, sometimes it’s good to have someone to just talk to,” explained Steven. “Even if they don’t understand, to get stuff off your chest and you really don’t know. He may understand and you don’t even knowing.”

“Yeah may be your are underestimating your brother,” said Dipper.

“I don’t know,” Wirt then sighed as he then took a bite of his sandwich.

It turned quiet again as Dipper also started eating, but even though they started eating Steven was already done. He then placed the empty plastic bag and juice box in his backpack. It sure seemed to Steven they were quiet a lot. It felt sort of awkward of him just sitting there and the others were eating. Steven then smiled as he had an idea. He rummaged through his backpack he pulled out his ukulele and started strumming on it to lighten up the mood. He then got a grin as he remember this was similar to him being stuck on that island with Sadie and Lars. Though they weren’t on an island they were still stuck here. He then started playing the tune that he played for them. Steven then started to sing that song.

 

_Isn't this such a beautiful night,  
Whoa, we're underneath the thousand shining stars._

Wirt was about to say that there weren’t any stars, well there was only one star, but Dipper smiled and stopped him, shaking his head. Wirt was quiet as a small smile came across his face as Steven continued.

__  
Isn't it nice to find yourself somewhere different,  
Whoa, why don't you let yourself just be wherever you are.  
Look at this place,  
Look at your faces.  
I've never seen you look like this before.

Steven smiled as he saw them smiling. As he sang the star above seemed to glow brighter as the forest suddenly came alive with fireflies coming out and dancing to the music in what once was the dark forest. The fireflies were making the forest seem, magical, but a good magical.

__  
Isn't it nice to find yourself somewhere different,  
Whoa, why don't you let yourself just be wherever you are.  
Look at this place,  
Look at your faces.  
They're shining like a thousand shining stars.  
Isn't it nice to find yourself somewhere different,  
Whoa, why don't you let yourself just be wherever you are.  
Why don't you let yourself just be somewhere different.  
Whoa, why don't you let yourself just be whoever you are.

 

The forest turned dark again as the fireflies turned off their light and the star in the sky went back to normal, but it seemed like the music now made Wirt and Dipper relaxed. The mood had now changed from dark and gloomy to bright and relaxing as Wirt and Dipper clapped at the end of his song.

“Wow, your pretty good man,” said Dipper.

“Thank you,” said Steven.

“Do you take lessons?” asked Wirt.

“Well, my dad taught me how to play, but now we sort of do jam sessions instead of lessons,” explained Steven as he put his ukulele away. “He actually use to be in a one man band until he met my mom.”

“Oh, I see so your mom made him quite,” said Dipper.

“No, my mom liked his music, but he stopped because he wanted to be with my mom,” said Steven.

“So what does he do now?” asked Wirt.

“He runs the car wash in our town,” said Steven.

“Oh,” said Wirt.

“Well he at least isn’t flipping burgers,” thought Wirt.

Dipper than stretched and yawned, “well I don’t know about you guys, but I think we should get to bed.”

“Good idea, and I can take your baggies and juice boxes,” said Steven as he stood up and went over and collected them. “We may be in a strange forest, but it’s not good to litter.”

“Right,” said Wirt as he then got settled into his sleeping bag and make shift coat pillow.

Dipper smiled as he did the same. “Man, even though we are completely lost in these woods at least it wasn’t that bad. I’m not alone, I got these two guys to keep me company and who knows!,” thought Dipper. “May be our siblings and Stevens friend are together and looking for us like we are then. It would be a long shot, but at least they would be safe together. Yeah this won’t be so bad at all!”

As all three boys fell asleep in their sleeping bags little did they know that two figures were watching them. Waiting. They may have gone to sleep, but the night had only begun.


	5. Chapter 5

Sleep came quickly to the boys. Wrapped up in their blankets and laying next to the fire. Though everything may be peaceful on the outside their dreams were a different story.

A empty campsite was the setting of Dippers dream. "Steven? Wirt?" called out Dipper as their stuff were still there, but they seemed to have just vanished. He contemplated for a second if he was really awake or not as he was just sitting up from his make shift bed. He then stood up and began to wander cautiously to the forest wondering if he could find any signs that they left the camp.

"You aren't going to find them there Pine Tree, this is your dream."

Dipper spun around to see Bill Cipher himself. He was just floating in a casual relaxing positions roasting marshmallows. "Bill! So I did see you before!"

"Oh yes, but you will probably live to regret following me," said Bill. "To bad your sister isn't here to help you."

"Where is my sister?! You probably hid her somewhere in this forest," demanded Dipper.

"Haha! You really think I would bring her here?" said Bill as he tossed the stick he was roasting marshmallows with into the fire.

"You're lying!"

"How do you know for sure?" he asked as he floated over to him. "Why would I bring the one person that could keep you sane here? I have no interest in her."

Dipper was silent, he wanted to not believe him, but at the same time there were shadows of doubt now.

"You are my real target Pine Tree, without you, well it would make my plans sooo much easier in you world," said Bill floating around him.

"You're not going to get away with this Bill! We will find a way out of here!" said Dipper confidently.

"We? Oh yes you are your new companions," said Bill with a laugh. "Tell me Pine Tree, why are trusting them? I thought you." He then started writing out fiery words in mid air. "Trust No One."

It was true the journal said trust no one, but this was different... right? They weren't in his world.

When Dipper was about to speak again Bill interrupted. "How much do you even know about them Pine Tree?"

"I know... that they are from different worlds... They have siblings, well one has a sibling," responded Dipper.

"Hm, I can see you don't know anything about them really," said Bill. "So how can you really trust them? I mean who knows, they could be the villain in their world for all you know or leading you around in circles."

"He is wrong! Right?" thought Dipper. Now that he started thinking about there was really no reason to trust them at all. But at the same time they were in a unknown place, it was better to be with someone. But again he knew nothing about them... The forest scenery around him started to go black as his doubts and fears started to take over his dream.

* * *

"Greg! Greg!" called out Wirt as his dream. He was in the woods too and was also alone.

A chuckle could be heard in response "Oh, Wirt..."

A chill ran up Wirt spine. "That laugh! That voice," he thought as his body started shaking.

The Beast slowly came out into view. "No one can hear you here."

Wirt back up and tripped over a root and fell to the ground. "No! This is impossible! You're dead! The Woodsman blew out your lantern!"

"Nothing is impossible in this forest," responded the Beast as Wirt backed himself up to a tree. "and there is everything to fear in here."

"Where's Greg?!" shouted Wirt gaining a bit of confidence as he stood up, but still cornered himself with the tree behind him.

"You shouldn't worry about your brother when it's yourself that you need to worry about," responded the Beast

"What do mean?" asked Wirt.

The Beast chuckled as he looked down at Wirts feet. Wirt looked down too and gasped as vines started to wrap around his feet he jumped and tried to kick them away. It was no use, though, the vines wrapped around his feet and started to become one with leaves sprouting out. His eyes widen as he realized that he was becoming a Edewood tree.

"You got away from me once boy, but I can assure that will not happen again."

* * *

"Hello?" called out Steven. His dream was different the other two. His dream wasn't in a forest, it seemed like a open space. The floor was smooth with different colors of dark green swirls with small layer of water covering it. "Hello!" he called out again, but the only response was his own echo back.

"Where am I?" thought Steven as he looked around only seeing a dark sky.

"Steven."

"huh?" said Steven to himself as he thought he heard a voice. He looked around and saw no body. "Hello!" called out Steven hoping the voice would respond.

"Steven."

This time he heard the voice and began walking toward it.

"Steven."

The voice was louder this time. He started to walk faster. "Hey! Who's there?!"

"Steven!"

Steven began to run now, the voice now even louder and he noticed it was familiar. Was it Connie? His dream now transforming as he ran into a eternal blackness. He wasn't phased by this though as he continued to follow the voice calling his name. He then could see something up ahead as he got closer he could make out a campfire and two figures. Two? It's not Connie who was calling him? Who were these guys? As Steven ran closer he could make out the two shapes. It was Wirt and Dipper, but something was wrong.

Steven then gasped as he got to the campsite as Wirt looked like he was turning into a tree while Dipper was slowly sinking into the black abyss.

"Wake them."

Steven then suddenly realized why the voice was familiar to him. It wasn't Connie's. "Mom?" he asked.

He didn't get an answer as he woke up from his dream. Steven then remember what he saw and jumped onto the other two boys to wake them up. "Wake up, wake up!" he shouted.

"Whoa what the heck man?!" asked Dipper as they both woke up.

"I had a dream, it was dark, you were there and you were there and there was a voice," said Steven shaking like a leaf trying to explain what happened.

"Hey, hey, take it easy," said Dipper.

"Yeah, it's alright," said Wirt as they tried to calm Steven down. "It was just a dream." was it though? Thought Wirt as he was glad to be woken up from his dream. But he couldn't help but think there was shreds of truth in his dream. The Beast... he not only saw it when he came here, but also in his dream and what he said...

"Yeah but..." said Steven thinking about his dream. "You guys were in trouble... The voice said to wake you up."

"Voice?" asked Dipper.

"Yeah, it kept calling my name and I followed it to find you guys and it told me to wake you up..." explained Steven.

"Well, that is a weird dream, why did it want you to wake us up?" asked Wirt.

"Well, you were becoming a tree and Dipper you were just sinking into darkness," said Steven.

Wirts eyes widen as that was what happened in his dream. He then glanced over at Dipper who looked a little surprised too.

"Is... that what happened in your dreams?" asked Steven.

Wirt was tempted to tell him the truth, but he really didn't want to worry Steven. He was the one the Beast wanted, not him. "No," responded Wirt. "What about you?" he looked at Dipper.

"No nothing like that happened in my dream either," lied Dipper. He now even grew more suspicious with Steven as his dream was similar to his. Though, he didn't mention anything about Bill his dream did start to go black as he started thinking about his doubts, but how could he known about that? Was it just a fluke? Or was there something more? He was also pretty sure that Wirt was also lying about having a similar dream, which is concerning, but right now he just wanted to know how Steven knew his dream.

"Well... if that didn't happen in your dreams I probably just overreacted," said Steven, though, he was unsure if they were lying or not, but he was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. "Sorry I woke you guys up."

"It's ok, you were just worried about us," said Wirt. "Lets go back to bed."

"Yeah, may be this time I will have a better dream," said Steven going back to his bed. He didn't mention the voice, because he was not sure to make of it himself. It couldn't be his mother that talked to him, she wasn't alive... Steven then laid a hand on his stomach where his gem was. Right?


	6. Chapter 6

Steven was first to wake up. The suns light was coming over the trees telling it was time to wake up. With a stretch he reached over to his backpack, already feeling hungry. He noticed the other two were still asleep. He didn't wake them up, though, since they had a rough night last night.

He looked inside and his eyes widen. Gasping softly as he noticed the empty plastic baggies and juice boxes that he put in last night were full again. "How can this be?" Steven thought to himself as he took out one of the sandwich baggies and juice boxes out. He then quickly ate the sandwich and drank the juice box. Then watched as he placed the empty bag and box back into his backpack. Then almost instantly they started glowing pink and refilled themselves.

"What?!" Steven said quietly not believing what he was seeing. He then took the now filled sandwich bag and just took the sandwich out without eating it. Placing the empty baggie back into the backpack. Again it glowed pink and the baggie refilled itself.

"What?!" said Steven louder now believing what he was seeing, but at the same time he couldn't believe he now had a magical backpack.

Steven heard a grumble as Wirt woke up to him. "Steven, what is it?" he asked.

"Wirt! You won't believe it!" Steven went over to him and took out another baggie. Doing the same as before and showing how it refilling itself.

"What?!" asked Wirt as he took his back pack and looked it over. "Is this normal?"

"No, it isn't! It wasn't magical before I came here, but now we have magical backpack with a unlimited supply of food!" said Steven happily.

Another grumble turned them to look at Dipper waking up. "Guys what's going on?" he asked groggily waking up slower than Wirt and Steven.

"Dipper look at this!" said Steven "My backpack is now magic!"

"Magic?" asked Dipper as he went over to them. Steven showed Dipper how the backpack worked and Dippers eyes widened. "Whoa! How is that even possible!" he then like Wirt took the backpack and looked at it. Examining it more than Wirt had looking inside and out.

" I don't know! It wasn't like this before I came here," replied Steven.

"Looks like another mystery in the web of mysteries that is this forest," said Dipper placing the backpack down.

"Hey, at least we won't starve," said Wirt with a smile.

"Yeah, that's true," said Dipper as he then took out his journal looking for anything having to relating to magical backpack, while picking up one of the sandwiches they took out and started eating it.

* * *

"How long are you going to look in that book? You haven't stopped since we ate breakfast," asked Wirt as they were now wandering through the woods.

"As long as I need to, because there has to be at least SOMETHING that can help us here," said Dipper.

"May be I should take a look at it?" asked Wirt.

"No!" said Dipper defensively and almost too quickly. "I mean, I had this book for a long time and if anyone can decipher its meanings and find anything it's me." he hesitantly laughed a bit and started walking faster in front of the group. The words of Bill were getting to Dipper.

"What's gotten into Dipper?" asked Steven walking beside Wirt.

"I don't know," replied Wirt. His concern could be plainly read on his face. He didn't know what's gotten into him. He didn't think he said anything offensive. Wirt just wanted to help, since he thought he could may be see something he couldn't. He could give him a new perspective. Now though, it looks like he wouldn't give up that book willingly, but he didn't want to push him. The last thing he wanted to do was make a divide in the group, because he knew all too well that going alone in the woods can be dangerous. Wirt didn't want to be the reason on why the Beast gets him.

"Hey look at this!" said Dipper.

"Huh?" asked Wirt coming back to reality as he realized they found something. It looked like vertical wall of rock with a opening in the side of it. It almost looked like a old abandoned mining shaft.

"Cool mystery cave!" said Steven as he went closer to the entrance.

"Mystery cave, mystery cave, mystery cave" echoed the cavern back making Steven laugh a little.

"Anything like this in your journal?" asked Wirt.

"Hmm..." said Wirt flipping through the pages and then sighed. "No."

"Why don't we take a look then? asked Steven.

"I don't know... It seems suspicious..." said Wirt.

"Everything in this forest is suspicious," replied Dipper.

"What is true," said Wirt. "But this random cave? It almost seems like..."

A loud group of birds flew out of the trees a mile away chirping frantically. With a loud roar coming soon after it.

"I say we go into the spooky cave, whoever agrees say I," said Dipper.

"I!" said Wirt and Steven together as the ran into the mystery cave. They could hear large footsteps now, but they were slowly fading as they went deeper and deeper into the cave. "Hey Steven do you have a flash light?" asked Wirt as it was getting really dark inside the cave.

"Yeah, just give me a second," said Steven as he stopped taking off his backpack and felt around his backpack. He couldn't really see now what was inside it, but he then smiled as he felt the flash light he put inside. "Here it is!" taking it he turned it on. "but I don't have any extra batteries... Hopefully we can find a exist by then."

The group of boys then started to walk down the tunnel again. "So... what do you think that was? Because I could think of a few things," said Dipper.

"Same here, it could of been a giant gem monster," said Steven.

"Well, whatever it was it is gone now and hopefully we won't have to face it again," said Wirt. He really hoped that thing, whatever it was, didn't find them again. They would be defenseless against that thing!

Everything was silent as they continued walking through the tunnel. Other than an occasional drip of water and a scurrying of a small creature. Which always made the boys jump at first, but then they realize it was nothing. "Hey I think I see light," commented Wirt as he squinted his eyes trying to make sure it was light.

"I think I see it too!" said Steven as they started walking faster. They all smiled as there was a light and it looked like to be an exit out of the cave. "Well guys, that was a lot less scary than I thought," said Dipper as he was positive it was an exit.

"Yeah I agree," said Steven.

"Same," said Wirt as they all laughed a bit, but it dwindled quickly as the exited, not out of the cave, but into a cavern within the cave. A large glowing crystal was growing from out of the ceiling illuminating the cavern.

"Well, shoot," said Steven. as he turned his flash light off, but kept it in his hand.

"You can say that again, but I have to say this is really cool," said Dipper looking around.

"Yeah, it's pretty... pretty," said Wirt doing the same.

"Hey guys look! The walls are like mirrors!" said Steven as he noticed the reflection he had looking at the wall. All the walls in the cavern seemed to be cut flat into large shapes, but all the shapes cut were reflective, while the other parts of the walls that weren't cut were jagged. Steven laughed as he moved from mirror to mirror as some of them distorted his shape. "Some of them are even like fun house mirrors!"

"Hm, I wonder what kind of stone this is?" asked Dipper out loud as he went over to one of the mirrors and touched it. Giggling a little as the mirror in front of him made him look short and fat.

"May be they are a crystal and not a stone, I mean there is one huge one on the ceiling," commented Wirt as he watched Dipper and Steven go around to all of the mirrors and see how they looked in their reflection. Wirt gave a small smile at this, they were acting just like his brother would, but something still making his spine crawl. As beautiful as this place was, they were still in the realm of the Beast. He was out there, Wirt knew it, but where was he hiding...

Wirt then noticed something in one of the mirrors. Cautiously walking toward it he noticed it was him, but at the same time something was wrong. As Wirt stood in front of the mirror his heart was beating fast. The image in the mirror was him, but he was wearing his costume from Halloween night! Wirt then quickly looked down at himself and he was still wearing his regular clothes. "How-how can this be?" Wirt said quietly to himself. He moved around and the figure did the same then with a shaky hand went to touch the mirror.

"Hey Wirt we found another tunnel!" called Dipper to him.

Wirt jumped a bit as he turned to see Dipper and Steven near an entrance of another tunnel. "Great! May be it's a way out!" he sure hoped it was as he then glanced back at the mirror. His reflection was normal, but this cave sure wasn't.


	7. Chapter 7

The tunnel they found was similar to the cavern as little glowing crystals light the way with mirrors on both sides of them.

"Are you ok?" asked Steven to Wirt, noticing his discomfort.

"No everything is fine," replied Wirt. Which was a big fat lie, after seeing that reflection in the mirror he knew this place wasn't safe. The Beast was here, here for him, but he was sure he would love to get Dipper and Steven also. Wirt wasn't sure how he would get rid of him, though. Last time he had the lantern, but was the lantern here? Did it come back, hidden somewhere in this forest? Well if it was, he was sure the Beast wouldn't make it easy to find.

Dipper meanwhile noticed Wirt's discomfort too, but he didn't say anything because Steven already beat him to it. This cave was sure mysterious, but it didn't seem dangerous. Unless Wirt was scared of the dark or doesn't like enclosed spaces. It seemed like logical fears he could be having. Dipper was lagging a bit behind because he wanted to look at these mirrors more, wanting to know how they were made. It seemed like they were cut, but if they were wouldn't there be tools lying around somewhere? As far as they seen the cave so far he hadn't seen any signs of humans or other things being in the cave. No tools, no trash, no footprints, absolutely nothing.

"What is up with this cave?" thought Dipper as he looked from mirror to mirror as he slowly continued down the tunnel. "It's like-" Dipper then froze in his tracks as stopped and looked at himself in one of the mirrors. In the mirror his outfit had changed, he was wearing the pastor outfit that was from the day put on that sock puppet play. Or should he say the out that his body was wearing, the person controlling it wasn't him that day. It was Bill. A bead of sweat started to come down his face. Dipper looked down at himself and he was wearing his regular clothes, but the reflection wasn't! Dipper than started to look at other mirrors seeing if it was just this one, but it wasn't. All of them were wearing the outfit.

"Dipper?!" called Steven concerned.

Dipper turned seeing that the two were a long ways down the tunnel now, but he could still see them. "Sorry, coming!" he then glanced back at the mirror to see that his reflection was normal. Which made him shiver before going back to the other boys.

Unknowingly to Dipper the reflection was still there. The reflection Dipper smiled as his eyes turned yellow and glowed as it turned to look to where the real Dipper was heading. "It's only begun Pine Tree." then the reflection disappeared.

* * *

"Are you ok?" asked Wirt this time as Dipper jogged toward them and caught up. Had he seen something in the mirrors too?

"No, no, just looking-examining these mirrors," corrected Dipper. "Don't you think it's strange that these walls seemed to be obviously cut, but there is no evidence here that anyone did it? No tools, foot prints or even trash lying around?" He lied, somewhat. He did somewhat want to talk about this to the others, but at the same time he didn't want knowing about what he seen in the mirror.

"I agree that is strange..." said Steven looking at the mirrors around them. "May be this cave is haunted?"

"Well it wouldn't surprise me if it was," commented Wirt. "But ghosts can't get rid of things... right?"

"Possibly..." said Dipper a knot forming in his stomach.

"Possibly!" Steven's voice cracked in fear.

"Hey, hey! It's ok! We will find a way out of here," said Dipper. If it was a ghost he just prayed that wouldn't be another level 10, but his gut knew if there was... it would probably be that. "Lets just continue on." Dipper then led the group on down the tunnel. His distrust growing now for Wirt. After what he just saw he knew that Wirt must of seen something too, but what he saw is the question. Or may he should say who he saw.

Steven now was growing worried for the group. His mind filled with thoughts on what kind of ghost could be here. His stomach also forming into a knot as he kept looked around in the mirrors. Looking out for the ghost that might be here. That's when he saw it, or he should say her. "Lapis?" asked Steven stopping in front of one of the mirrors. It was indeed Lapis Lazuli in what was his reflection, but now only Lapis was standing there looking at him.

"Lapis?" asked Dipper stopping along with Wirt.

Steven turned to Dipper and Wirt. "Yeah! Lapis Lazuli! She is-" he turned back around and she was gone replaced by his own reflection. "right there..." he then turned back to the other two. "I saw her, she was there!"

"Well, who is she? Is she a... Crystal Gem was what you call them?" asked Dipper.

"She is a Gem, but she isn't a- there she is!" said Steven pointed to another mirror. This time all three boys saw Lapis. She again was standing still, just looking at the boys.

"She is pretty," thought Wirt as she looked to be around his age, though her skin, hair, dress and eyes were blue. Man those were the prettiest blue eyes he has ever seen. He quickly tried to think of something else since he and Sara were a thing. Well, not yet at least, they were hanging out a lot now and he hoped in near future that they could become a thing.

Lapis then turned and sprouted her water wings. Flying off down the tunnel through the mirrors.

"Lapis wait!" called Steven as he ran after her.

"Steven wait!" Wirt called Steven as he ran after him with Dipper right behind him.

Steven didn't as he was concentrated on catching up with Lapis. He didn't give a second thought on how she was in the mirrors or how did she escape from fusing with Jasper. Mean while Dipper and Wirt were still chasing him and then after they made a sharp turn Steven seemed to disappear as more tunnels appeared before them.

"Where did he go?" asked Wirt as both of them stopped to look around. The cave seemed to turn into a maze of mirrors as most of the reflection only shown themselves and the mirrors were closer together.

"This way! I just saw him!" said Dipper running off as he saw a glimpse of Steven running.

Wirt followed him down another tunnel for a while then stopped as he saw Steven going in another direction. "Wait! There he is!" but when he turned his head to look at Dipper he was gone. "What he was just there!" said Wirt to himself as he looked around the mirrors around him only reflecting him. His heart sank into his stomach as he realized he was now alone in a cave that has turned into a maze.


	8. Chapter 8

Leaves rustling from a woman that was being chased. Though, she didn't think of her being chased, but leading the Beast that was stalking her. Her feet look like they were barely touching the ground as the Beast followed her.

Then stopping on a dime she jumped back as a hand came out of the woods and tried to grab her. The large pink lady landed gracefully with a smirk. "Why must we always fight Beast?"

The Beast came out from the shadows. "It's in our nature, light and dark always fight, though, even when the tides have changed and darkness has surrounded you. You still give us problems."

"The forest gives you power, but where there is darkness there is always light and so there is hope," she replied back as they then started to circle each other. "But you must also remember like you this forest also gives me power too."

"A power, a light, a flame that will be snuffed out soon enough, Rose Quartz," said the Beast.

Rose laughed a bit. "I find it funny that you say that, since that is how you died."

The Beast growled. "I am beyond that now, there is no lantern here that I fear." He then stopped and so did Rose. "But that is one thing we have in common, we both aren't among the living."

"Yes that is true, but without the help of Bill Cipher you wouldn't have this opportunity to get revenge," Rose narrowed her eyes at him.

"Yes, I couldn't be blessed more than when Bill stumbled upon this world," said the Beast smiling. "He had the power I needed to help me to bring the children here, though, I did not expect that you would join in the fun."

"I hardly call what you are doing fun," said Rose "You were reckless when performing the spell, it allowed me to also bring in my Son, his friend and the other two's siblings."

"A mistake that was quickly corrected," commented the Beast. "They are now both separated. I'm surprised that you haven't tied taking down the barrier."

Rose was silent as the Beast chuckled. "Oh, I see. Well even if you could it would make no difference. The other beasts here would finish them off before they could reach the others."

"Pearl has trained Connie well, she can fight them," said Rose confidently.

"Yet what of the other two? They have no experience with fighting and you can't be in two places at one time," said the Beast.

Rose smirked as she chuckled. Her appearance changing, her skin turning green as she became just a watermelon shaped like her.

"What?!" shouted the Beast angrily as he realized he just been tricked.

A chuckle could be heard on the wind as Rose said "You want to bet?"

* * *

"Lapis!" called Steven as he kept running after her, but as he turned a corner she disappeared.

"Lapis?!" called Steven again in curiosity wondering where she had gone now. Now starting walking he began to look at the mirrors. Sighing as only his reflection looked back at him, but he soon noticed the mirrors were getting smaller, the walls becoming more cave like and the tunnel was getting darker.

Steven was just about to get out his flashlight, until he saw lights up ahead. They weren't the normal crystal lights, but they looked like large string lights. "Whoa," said Steven as the cave turned into a miner tunnel. May be there was human activity here at one time he thought but he still wondered how and why they disappeared. He then stopped as he reached to an open door. It, though, wasn't a usual open door as he looked to see it was a secret door. Well, not secret anymore since it was open, but the secret passage was hidden behind a vending machine. Steven then wished for a second he had some money for some of the snacks inside.

"Dipper?"

The voice came from secret passage behind the vending machine. The voice was female and young. May be it was Dippers sister! He then went inside to find a flight of stairs. Going down them quickly he reached what looked like a mix between a lavatory and a bunker. The walls were lined with machines. At the other side there was a glass window that seemed to be a place to observe whatever was on the other side. He couldn't tell what was on the other side at first because there was a bright light, but he did see a large count down clock above the glass. But counting down to what?

"You're not Dipper!"

Steven's attention turned to a girl that had long brown hair with braces. Wearing a pink knitted shirt with a key on it. "Are you Mabel?" asked Steven.

"Yeah," she said. "Who are you? And where is my brother?! He was right behind us!"

"My name is Steven, and I don't know," said Steven as the ground then trembled underneath him.

"Guys the machine is acting weird," said an older guy heavy set with a green question mark shirt and ball cap. Peering around the door that was next to the glass window. They then went into the other room, which was more of an underground cavern to him. A giant triangular machine was also there. The light he saw before coming from the machine, it almost looked like a portal.

"What's going on?!" asked Steven worried.

"The world possibly being destroyed," said the older guy.

"How do we turn it off?!" asked Steven louder and very worried.

"Um, um, over there!" said Mabel pointing to a wall with three key switches and a sign over them saying Manual Override. They then ran over to where the three keys were. "Turn them together!"

Steven nodded as they then turned all three keys at the same time. Then hearing a hissing and popping noise behind them. He turned to see a long stick with a big red button. "That must be the turn off button!"

A fleeting feeling of hope was inside Steven as they ran to the button, but as they were just about to hit the button a shock wave from the machine threw them back. Then a blinding light came from the portal making everyone freeze except for him. Mabel and the other guy were frozen in mid air, but he was one the ground. The machine then turned back to normal, but its lights turned red and an angry yell also came from it.

Steven crawled backwards a bit as a small red triangle guy came out came out of the portal. "YOU!" he shouted.

"ME?!" asked Steven frighten by the strange creature.

"YES YOU! YOU RUENED IT!" said the creature "Well, not exactly you, but you are close enough!"

"What did I do?! I don't understand!" said Steven backing up as the creature came closer to him. Now he was getting a good look at it, it looked like the creature that Dipper showed them in his book. What was its name? Bill!

"You switched up the rooms!" said Bill. "I had everything perfectly planned until you showed up!"

"But I didn't do that!" exclaimed Steven jumping a bit as his back hit a wall.

"I know you didn't, but she is apart of you," said Bill as his hands formed a fireball and he raised it getting ready throw. "So close enough!" Bill then threw the fireball at Steven.

Steven shouted putting out his hands to protect himself. He gasped, expecting to form a bubble around him instead, though, of a bubble he formed his shield. Steven felt a rush of excitement for summoning his shield, but it quickly faded as watch the fireball hit shield. Worried that it would break his shield. Instead it bounced back at Bill.

"Whoa!" said Bill dodging the fireball. The fireball hit the machine behind him, but a strange thing happened. Not only the machine cracked, but also everything around them cracked.

"It was all an illusion?" asked Steven seeing now just standing in an open cavern that wall one giant mirror.

"ARGH!" said Bill as he then burst into flames and disappeared leaving Steven alone with his shield. Which glowed softly in the darkness making it a natural flashlight.

"The others!" Steven speaking his thoughts, thinking they must be in an illusion too, or were they? Since he broke the mirror would the other illusion mirrors be broken too? Either way he knew had to find them. Finding another tunnel he rushed to find Dipper and Wirt.

* * *

Dipper grunted as he lost Steven again. "Darn it! Lost him, I-" he then turned expecting to find Wirt, but he had also vanished. He was alone, with the mirrors reflecting all around him. "Wirt?" he called out just in case he was close by, but Dipper had a sinking feeling in his stomach he wasn't and as he was right as the only thing he could hear was his own echo.

His heart sank into his stomach, as he started moving again. "This is bad," he said to himself remembering what he saw in the mirror. He couldn't stop thinking that Bill was going to appear in one of the mirrors. Of course Dipper didn't know what he would do if he did see him... may be break the mirror? No, he couldn't break it they were made of rock or crystal, either way he couldn't punch that hard.

A laugh made Dipper jump. He looked around where the laughter came from. It wasn't Stevens, Wirt's or even his sister. It sounded like laughter from a young boy, younger than him, but he wasn't there. He heard the laughter again behind him, but again when he turned around he wasn't there.

"Hello!" Dipper called out trying to follow the voice. He tried to connect the dots. If it wasn't Steven laughing, nor his sister or Wirt who could it be? He pondered that thought as he continued, then it hit him. What if it was Wirt's younger brother? He did mention he had one! But that would contradict what Bill said… Though, it was the only lead he had to go on so… might as well try to prove it?

"Um… Grrrreeeg?" Dipper called out questioning himself for a second. That was his name right? Greg? Yeah, he was sure that was Wirt said. "Greg! Is that you?"

Then he noticed something, the mirrors one the walls were getting smaller and smaller. He was tunnel was slowly sloping upwards, which made his heart flutter in joy. Did he finally find the way out of this cave?! This made him suddenly sprint, he wanted to get out of this place the moment he saw that reflection. A wide smile appeared on his face as he saw a light up ahead. Yes he was correct! It was a way out! Bursting through the exit he laughed and shouted happily. "Ah ha! Take that Bill! Woo!" he said laughing a bit.

"Who's Bill?"

Dipper jumped a bit turning to see a small boy with overalls and wearing a teapot for a hat. "Why are you wearing a teapot for a hat?" asked Dipper curiously.

"It's not a hat! It's my trunk! I'm an elephant!" said the boy then making elephant noises. "Why do you wear you wear your hat?"

Dipper adjusted his hat. "That's not important. Is your name by chance Greg?" he asked trying to change the subject.

"Yeah! My name is Greg! How did you know? Are you psychic!" asked Greg.

"No, I just know your brother," said Dipper then was cut off.

"You know Wirt?!" asked Greg excitedly.

Dipper smiled. "Yeah, he is just well probably lost in that cave I-" he turned back to the cave, but it vanished leaving just bushes where it once was.

"What cave? Is it secret cave!" asked Greg going over the bushes to investigate.

"No, no, no, no it was just right there," Dipper said concerned, going over and looking for the exit of the cave. This didn't make sense! It was just there!

"Well, it's gone now."

"We have to find it again!"

"Right! Let's go this way!" Greg said running off.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Dipper said running after him. Then when he caught up they both walked side by side.

Dipper couldn't help thinking that this didn't make sense. How could a cave just disappear, but he then thought of what he saw in the mirror and what Bill said. It was only him… his sister was not here, so he probably had to conclude that Wirt's brother wasn't here either… So, who was the boy he was chasing. He stopped. "Hey Greg…"

"Yes?" Greg also stopped.

"I think we should split up," said Dipper.

"Why? That's how you lost them before," said Greg.

"I just want to go back," insisted Dipper as he turned back around only to be stopped as trees grew suddenly in front of him.

"But you can't go back," said Greg. "What about me?"

Dipper had a sinking feeling he fell right into Bills trap. "I-uh," Dipper was trying to think of a excuse.

"Stay with me Dipper," said Greg as he out reached his hand toward him prompting him to hold it. While he did though pinkish branches grew out of his sleeve toward him. "We will be safer here together." Now a tree looked like to be growing around him, almost consuming him as the branches reaching out for him tried to make him have the same fate.

"Get away from me!" Dipper shouted backing up his heart beating a hundred miles per hour. Trying to think of a way out.

"Don't be afraid of the Unknown Dip-" Then suddenly everything around him cracked around him in a dome shape. The images around him then slowly turned black leaving him in darkness. His heart sank as he realized he never was outside, he never escaped, he was still in the caves… Bill had tricked him and now thinking about it, he had tricked all of them. He wanted them to be separated he wanted all them alone! Divide and conquer, but why show something that Wirt would of succumbed to and not something from his past?

"WIRT! DIPPER!"

"Steven?!" responded Dipper back hearing his voice.

A soft pink glow could be seen and he ran toward it almost running into Steven holding a pink shield. Well not holding it, it sort of just hovered near his arm, but that important for the moment. He could ask about his weird shield later.

"Dipper are you ok?!" asked Steven his eyes full of distress and panic.

"Yeah, yeah I'm ok, what happened?!" asked Dipper.

"No time to explain! We got to find Wirt, quick!" said Steven grabbing his hand and pulling him into another near by tunnel. Dipper was now even more worried, he never seen Steven this panicked before so something bad must of happened to him. How did he get away, though?

* * *

Wirt felt a bead of sweat come down his face, his heart not only in his stomach, but also beating a hundred miles per hour. He then frantically started looking around in all the mirrors as he continued on. "DIPPER! STEVEN!" he called his voice breaking. The Beast was going to get them! And it will be his fault all over again!

"STE-AH!" He shouted as something appeared in front of him making him jump back and grip his heart. His back to the cold mirror wall as he starred at the girl from earlier! What was her name again? Lapis? Yeah, Lapis.

"Lapis? That is your name right?" Wirt asked she was only a couple feet away.

Lapis stood there, but this time he noticed something. Though, her body language seemed calm, her eyes were telling a different story. She seemed… scarred.

Wirt's terrified expression turned kind and caring. "Hey, is there something wrong?" he stood up strait and started to walk over to her, but then a roar split the air making Lapis form her water wings and flee. "Run!" said Lapis.

"Hey, wait!" called Wirt as he then followed Lapis. Though, now that he thought about it was probably not the best thing to do, but he still kept running after her. It was tough though, he was barely keeping up with her. Yeup, fear was defiantly making her run or should he say fly away.

She then finally flew into a pitch-black open cavern, but strangely enough she seemed the glow as she landed in the middle of it. Curled up into a ball he could hear muffled sobs. Her water wings wrapping around her like they were a security blanket. Wirt was concerned as he looked around the pitch-black cavern, but slowly footstep, by footstep he entered the cavern and walked closer to her.

When Wirt got half way to her Lapis spoke. "Go away."

He stopped. Her voice barely holding it together as Lapis didn't look at him. "Why?" asked Wirt.

"She's coming," said Lapis.

"Who's coming?" asked Wirt concerned.

"Jasper!"

"Who? Maybe I can-"

"No! Just go! Before it's too late!"

"Aw, there you are," said a third voice

Lapis gasped standing up. "RUN! She'll kill you!" she warned Wirt as she opened her wings about ready to fly away, but then came out of the darkness and grabbed both of her wrists. Lapis screamed as they were chains, but what were they chained to was Wirt's question.

A sinister laugh came from the darkness behind Lapis, and then a soft glowing orange light coming from what looked like another tunnel. A large muscular woman with a gem for a nose came into the cavern her wrists were also chained connected to Lapis now. She was much larger than either one of them as the larger orange woman started pulling the chains making Lapis come closer to her. "You didn't think that you would get away that easily did you?" she asked.

"Hey get away from her!" shouted Wirt as he was about to run toward Lapis to help, but she then made her water wings form into a hand, blocking his path.

"No you can't beat her! It's too late for me, run while you still have the chance!" shouted Lapis at him.

Wirt's heart sank this was just like before, different circumstances, but she was sacrificing her life for his! Just like what Greg did for him! No, not again! Wirt might not know this girl very well, but she was Steven's friend and he wasn't going to be the reason why she dies! Wirt quickly got around her hand and ran toward her. He didn't know what he could really do, but he wouldn't go down without trying! It was too late, though, as the orange woman pulled her grabbing her wrists. An evil laughter echoed throughout the cavern as both of them glowed their bodies almost fusing together.

Wirt stopped as he watched as the glowing mass grew in size and glowed green. Well this wasn't what he expected, but he was sure this wasn't good. When it stopped growing and fusing there was a large green woman with four green eyes. She had a regular upper torso, but her bottom half was made up of four hands that were used as feet. "La-La-Lapis?" asked Wirt backing up a little.

A chuckle at first, but then turned into a laugh came from that large green monster. "Lapis?! No, I'm MALACHITE!" she said as she lunged at him.

Wirt screamed and tried to protect himself by using his arms as a shield, but then there was a large crack. "Huh?" Wirt looked up and the dome above was cracked and so was the green creature. "It was just a reflection!" thought Wirt. Which was very hard for him to believe, it felt so real… She responded to him… He could hear her…

As the large green faded away to darkness he could hear other voices.

"Wirt! Wirt!"

It was Steven and Dipper! He turned to see them come into the cavern. Steven holding a pink shield that softly glowed. "Guys!" said Wirt happily running over to them. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, we are fine, but we need to get out of here," said Steven as he then looked around the cavern. "Look over there!" Steven ran over to the only other tunnel connected to this cavern.

Dipper and Wirt followed him. Wirt was worried about him, though. He looked totally freaked out about this. What had he seen? Who had he talked to? The first thing that came to his mind was he came face to face with the Beast, or at least a Beast of some kind like the one Lapis turned into. Causing him to be traumatized. Personally if Lapis was his friend and he saw her being transformed into a monster he sure would be traumatized. Which did make him feel a bit better, at least he didn't see that.

"Hey look a light!" said Dipper stopping Wirt's train of thought. Wirt smiled as he felt a breeze. Yes! It was defiantly an exit! Which was probably the reason all three of them ran faster and burst out of the cave.

"Yes! We are out!" said Steven happily.

Wirt smiled too. Yeah he was pretty happy to be out of that mirror maze death trap, but he made a mental note not to go into any more caves. He then looked at Dipper who was just starring at the cave exit. "Um, are you ok?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah," said Dipper looking at him, then glancing back to the exit then back at him. "I'm fine, just, nothing. Lets get going."

"I agree, the farther away from that cave the better!" said Steven following him as he led the way.

"Ok…" said Wirt he was acting weirder than Steven. He almost was waiting for the exit to do something, or maybe waiting for something to come out of it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This again features another Steven Universe song.
> 
> This one is rather short, but I did change the lyrics only a touch. This is known as the Lapis Lazuli song.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrMhQ8adi7M

The crackle of wood burning was the only thing heard other than the waterfall flowing into the pool they were next to. Wish was nice because the pool was shallow and they could wade in. Washing their greasy hair and sweat off their faces, but again they were almost silent in doing this. Along with building camp, they spoke in short and to the point sentences.

It was weird even to Wirt that they were acting in this way. May be they were like him and pondering in what they saw. Again, though, it was weird to see. Especially when Steven was doing it. He really couldn't stand it much longer to see him like this. "Hey Steven, why don't you play something?" asked Wirt. It cheered up the mood before, he hoped that the same trick would work twice.

"I'm… not really in the mood," said Steven looking down.

Wirt was about to say something, but Dipper beat him to it. "Aw come on, Steven. I would like to hear something." This made Wirt smile a little as Dipper was encouraged Steven. May be he couldn't watch Steven be sad any longer either.

This was true. To Dipper watching Steven be sad was like watching Mabel not wanting to come out of sweater town. It was hard to watch and wanted to do something to cheer him up.

Steven sighed and then gave a very small smile. "Well, alright." He then got out his ukulele and was silent for a bit. Strumming the strings trying to think of what to play. Letting the music dictate what song he would perform. Then finally finding some notes that suited him.

_She was trapped in a mirror_

_And it couldn't be clearer_

_She wanted to leave this place_

_And get herself back in space_

_And you might think she's a criminal_

_But her friendship comes through subliminal_

_Lapis Lazuli, you fled into the bottom of the sea_

_Lapis Lazuli, you were so mad, but then you came around to me…_

Steven sighed as he stopped strumming his ukulele and the small smile he had disappeared. "Did… you guys happen to see Lapis again? In that cave?"

"She means a lot to you didn't she?" asked Wirt really not wanting to answer that question or even lie about. He wasn't even sure he could lie about it with a straight face.

"It is my fault that she is fused as Malachite right now…" said Steven.

Wirt's heart skipped a beat as he heard the name Malachite. His fears were true as he already knew about her and saw her probably. Of course he probably should of guessed he already knew, but he didn't want to reopen old wounds. Wirt was going to say something, but Dipper was about to ask something making a sound. He stopped though as Steven started to talk again his voice shaky.

"I… I told her that I would come back for her…" said Steven not looking up at them. "but I didn't… and then…" He was quiet as a tear came down his cheek.

Wirt scoot over to him, picking up one of their blankets and wrapping it around him. Steven looked up at him, his eyes watery and snot starting to come out of his nose. He then hugged Wirt, which didn't surprise him as Wirt hugged him back. Dipper than went over to them and sat beside them. Petting Steven on the back as he sobbed in Wirts arms.

"Steven… she wasn't real though…" said Dipper. "She was just a reflection…"

Steven didn't respond at first, sniffing and whipping his nose with his arm then he spoke, "I wish she was…"

Dipper looked at Wirt asking him for help. Wirt looked at Dipper for a second quickly getting he should give cheering him up a shot. He didn't know really what to say, though. Wirt didn't know much about what happened (other than the obvious fusion) and if he did he was not even sure if he could find a silver lining. It was quiet again as Wirt was remembering the experience he had with Lapis. All she wanted to do was to make him to run away like she "She just… wanted to protect you…" said Wirt.

"Huh?" asked Dipper confused, but Steven looked at Wirt.

"How do you know?" asked Steven.

Wirt was quiet, but Steven pushed. "How would you know?"

"I… I did see her again in the caves… she kept telling me to run away," said Wirt. "I saw how she scarred, no terrified of Jasper, but all she cared about making sure I stay away… making sure I didn't get killed… making sure I was safe and she didn't even know me, but I think that was suppose to be shown to you."

"Yeah… I think it could be said for all of us," interrupted Dipper. "I mean, my room had your brother in it Wirt. I am sure the rooms were switched."

"That is what Bill said," said Steven.

"You met Bill?!" asked Dipper alarmed.

"Yeah, he even blamed me for it," said Steven.

"You? Why you?"

"I don't know… but now at least I can summon my shield," said Steven with a smile as he then sat up and summoned his pink shield. At least that was a little silver lining thought Steven. Which surprised Dipper and Wirt at first, even though they saw it before but of course they didn't really take notice in the shield until now.

"That's really cool, but how?" said Dipper

"Well all gems have their own weapon they can summon, mine is a shield," said Steven.

"I am not sure if you could say a shield is a weapon," said Wirt.

"Well… my mom had a also a sword she gave me, but Connie has it now. It came out of Lion's mane while we rolled down the hill."

"Wait what? How come a sword come out of a Lions mane?" asked Wirt.

"He's magic, I keep lots of stuff in his mane," said Steven.

Wirt looked him with a look of disbelief, but didn't question him any more. "Ok… how about we get some sleep."

"Yeah I think we had enough excitement for one day," said Dipper.

"Right," said Steven as they all got into their makeshift beds. "Guys… I'm sorry I just started crying like that…" Steven was silent for a second. "It's just… I don't know what came over me…" he then sighed. "I always felt guilty about Lapis, but I didn't really realize how much I was holding in until now… After seeing her, even though like you said Dipper she was an illusion I thought may be by some chance she was real. That I was given a second chance to save her, I mean I was able to meet you two and you guys are from different worlds. Why couldn't Lapis be brought here too?"


	10. Chapter 10

A groan came from Dipper and Wirt as they looked up at the darkening sky. "Looks like it's going to rain," commented Dipper then looked over at Steven. "You wouldn't happen to have an umbrella in there would you?"

"No," said Steven, but then smiled "But if it does rain I can use my shield. " The moment he finished talking it started down pouring rain, which Steven then formed a large shield over them. "See, nothing to it." They then started walking again.

"So… I been wanting to ask you this, but how does your gem make your weapon?" asked Dipper.

"It's magic, I can also make a protective bubble also," said Steven.

"Bubble?" thought Dipper as he imagine Steven making a bubble around him, then gave a small smile as he then thought about how it looked like a giant hamster ball. A power his sister would love to have.

"Ok, sure, but what is it actually made out of?" asked Dipper.

"Um… I don't know," said Steven.

"You never thought of asking about it?" asked Dipper.

"No not really," said Steven as a silence then fell upon the group pondering their own thoughts.

Dipper now took a closer look at the shield above him, like his gem it was pink, but it was somewhat translucent. Which made him question how strong was the shield, but from Steven said it did help him against Bill or at least he could imply what happened. Speaking of Bill why did he say that it was Steven's fault? He seemed to not doing it on purpose… or did he? May be it was not on purpose, Dipper didn't know how much power he had and it seemed like neither did he. He was only half human and he didn't have his mother to tell him what powers he had. Dipper then sighed as he looked up and took notice and more interest in the symbol that was on the shield. It had what looked like to be a rose in the center with a spiral pink rose stem. "What did it mean?" thought Dipper to himself.

As it continued to rain fog started to roll in which made Wirt nervous. "The last time we had fog we got separated…" he thought and Steven must have been thinking the same as Steven then held his hand and he noticed Dippers also.

Wirt looked down at Steven then at Dipper who was also glancing up at him. 'Ok who is going to be the one to tell him' is the look they were both giving each other. It took them a second, but Dipper decided to respond. "Um, dude what are you doing?"

"Holding your hands," responded Steven like there was no problem with this. "Why?" asked Dipper.

"Well the last time we all saw fog is when we lost the others," said Steven simply "So by holding hands we should be able to stick together."

"Well, we don't exactly have to hold hands," said Dipper.

"What's wrong with holding hands?" asked Steven.

"Um, well… you see… uh," Dipper then looked at Wirt asking him to help him out.

Thankfully a rustle in the bushes made them focus on something else. Which was good because it would be pretty awkward to explain why guys don't hold hands. They didn't see anything as they froze in place. "I don't see anything," said Steven as his shield disappear as the rain seemed to suddenly stopped, but still putting his arm out getting ready just incase something would jump out.

"May be it was just a squirrel," said Wirt.

"Yeah, I mean we are in a forest," said Dipper "We should probably keep moving."

The boys silently agreed as they kept walking. Knots in their stomachs grew larger their minds wondering what made the noise. It also didn't help that the fog was getting thicker as they continued. Minds begin to worry as they couldn't help but think of something jumping out of fog.

"The last time we had fog this thick is when I saw and heard the Beast…" thought Wirt "and the others got separated too…" Wirt was now thinking holding hands was a good thing. The last thing they wanted is to be split up like last time, though, still a bit awkward, but necessary.

"I can't see where we are going," said Steven "May be we should break here? I can't even see you guys."

"I- ouch!" said Wirt as he ran into what felt like a tree and let go of Steven.

"Yeah, I think that is a good idea," said Dipper "You ok Wirt?" There was silence. "Wirt?" he called again and there was again silence.

* * *

"I think you have a good idea too," said Wirt, though, he was surprised that none of them ran into anything before. It was just his luck that he ran into something first. "Guys?" asked Wirt noticing that there was no response. "Guys?!" he called out again as he outstretched his arms out trying to find them, but the only thing he could find was white, moist mist.

"Steven! Dipper!" Wirt called out louder and more frantic, but silence was his only response. This quickly turned into anger as they were yet again separated so easily! First with the cave and now this! But he then took a breath "Ok, ok, we been through this before we can find each other again," said Wirt to himself taking his first step alone in this misty death trap.

Though he could not see, every other sense to be heightened now because of it. Wirt could hear the soft rustling of the grass underneath his feet, each drop of mist that hit his face, the smell of fresh dew on the leaves, or may be it is not out of loss of sight he had his heightened senses, but out of fear. This would explain why his heart was beating fast, but he had gotten almost use to that.

Wirt continued to walk forward the mist seemed to start clearing slowly. He could start to see trees and bushes as he gotten close to them, but the fog never totally disappeared. He couldn't see at a distance, but at least wasn't running into any foliage.

Then up ahead Wirt saw a light, he first had to blink a bit to make sure he wasn't seeing stuff, but no, there was a definite light up ahead. Wirt approached it slowly, very cautious of what he might find. He really wished he had a weapon or a shield like Steven. His muscles relaxed a bit when he found it was just a lantern sitting upon a stump.

"A lantern?" asked Wirt as he approached it. On closer inspection it looked exactly like the Beast's lantern. A spark of hope filled him, could this be his lantern? If it was he could destroy the beast again right now. Then he quickly corrected himself. "No, no this is too easy. He wouldn't leave it out here in the open." Wirt then picked up the lantern, a chill running down his spine as memories flooded in his head.

"Ah, those were good times weren't they?"

Wirt jumped and almost dropped the lantern as he looked up to see the Beast. Wirt backed away and automatically opened the lantern, ready to snuff out the flame.

"Go ahead," the Beast chuckled. "Blow out the lantern."

"You don't think I will do it?" asked Wirt now very tempted to blow it out then and there.

"Oh, no I know you would," said the Beast smiling if he could. "It's just…" he then lifted his hand and a lantern appear, then all around them lanterns appeared and floated in the air. "There is really no need. It would be a waste, you know why?"

Wirt was silent, as he looked at all the lanterns around him looking like the same exact one he was holding. "Be-because this isn't your true lantern," said Wirt regaining his voice.

The Beast chuckled as he opened one of the lanterns then snuffed out its flame. The rest followed suit including the one he was holding, making it seem the world around him become a bit darker. "Because there is no lantern that can control me now."

As the Beast laughed echoed through out the forest Wirt turn and ran with the lantern still in his hand. Eyes wide and color drained from his face, as he knew this was the only thing he could do.

"Run boy, run. This is one forest you can not escape."


	11. Chapter 11

"Wirt! Wirt!" called out Steven and Dipper.

Dipper groaned in frustration. "I can't believe we'v-" his words cut off as he heard a distant screech, it wasn't human, but at the same time it wasn't animal.

"Do you think he's been captured," said Steven slowly.

"It is possible," said Dipper.

There was then silence as Steven formed a new shield, but the little light that it produced didn't help with the dense fog around them. "I think the screech came that way," said Steven pointing toward the direction and started walking toward it.

"Ok, but lets be careful," said Dipper "We don't know what we are up against."

"Right," said Steven as they started walking, but as they were walking he kept thinking of what this thing could be. It could be a gem monster, but that screech seemed similar to what a gem mutant would make. Either one he didn't want to meet. "Do you… have any idea what it might be?"

"I don't really recognize it," said Dipper as they both flinched as they heard the screech again, but somewhat closer making them stop in their tracks. "I just had a thought, what do we do when we find the creature?"

"Well hopefully when we find it we find Wirt," said Steven

"But we can't just go up to it and say, Hey! Can you please release our friend?" said Dipper sarcastically.

"I know that," said Steven. "But we don't even know what kind of creature it is, so how can we make a plan without knowing what we are up against?"

"Well, you do have a point there," said Dipper "But even if we knew what it was we don't have any weapons! We barely escaped last time and we can't walk in to what we know is a lair of a probably a dangerous creature!"

"Uh… may be we can make a weapon?" asked Steven trying to think of a solution to this problem because Dipper did have a point. If it hadn't been for the walls being made of glass last time they wouldn't have make it out of that cave. Unfortunally Steven couldn't figure out any way around it, he couldn't summon a weapon, Connie is the one that had his mothers sword and he didn't have any knifes in his backpack.

"Do you know how to make on?" asked Dipper.

"Nope, you?" asked Steven.

"No…" said Dipper as it became silent. Then after a while Dipper then sighed. "We really have no choice but to go in unarmed do we?"

"Yeup," said Steven.

They then both sighed at the same time as they continuing tracking the creature.

* * *

"This is it, this is where I die," thought Wirt as he ran the voice of the Beast kept echoing around him. It almost felt like he was right next to him, but as Wirt kept spinning his head around there was nothing but darkness. Nothing made sense in this world, just like in the Unknown, but this was a defiantly worse version. At least last time he did have a weakness, but how could he ever beat the Beast now?!

The echo seemed to now become quite, which almost seemed to make things worse. It really amplified how alone he was now. His jogging pace then slowed down to a walk, the soft footsteps and ragged breathing his only noise. Well, other than his rapid heart beat pounding in his ears. "What's the point?" he asked himself out loud. "I mean… Even if I find them, even I find my brother… He won't let us out…" They were only here a couple days, but with this bit of information these traps and monsters could go on for an eternity with not even a chance of stopping. Wirt then thought of his brother, how scarred he must be or not, he was always a cheerful kid, but he must come to realize their predicament. Even if he was with Dippers sisters and Steven's friend they would be in the same situation they were in. He stopped and then he stopped, falling to his knees. "Or he may not be even here it could be some cruel joke to think otherwise, he was the one the Beast wanted, or worse the Beast could of already got him." Wirt closed his eyes holding back tears.

"Greg, I am sorry… I shouldn't have let my curiosity get to me," said Wirt. He opened up his eyes a crack as he felt something crawl on him, it were branches. Edelwood branches surrounding him and even though he would normally break away, Wirt instead welcomed them. "I should have been the responsible brother, I knew we shouldn't have come back, but again it was my fault." The branches were lifting him off the ground starting to now cocoon around him, and by his memory probably forming an edelwood tree. Where ever his brother was, he hopped his last moments were happy or at least he hoped he wasn't alone unlike him.

The cracking of branches made Wirt open his eyes. He looked to see a figure breaking the branches to try to get to him. "Steven? Dipper?" he asked as he sat up.

A woman's voice caught him off guard; she laughed a bit as she broke the last of the branches to peer into his cocoon. "Not exactly," said a rather large woman wearing a white dress and having long, pink curly hair. She almost seemed angelic as she reached out a hand.

"Who-who are you?" asked Wirt glancing at her hand then back at her face.

"A friend," she responded.

"Well thank you, but…" said Wirt but then he looked down and laid down. He wasn't sure how to respond, especially when she was trying to do a good deed, but may be it was better to say the truth. "It's no use… The Beast is too strong…" and as he said that some of the branches started to grow again covering the hole the woman made. "There is no way out of this darkness."

The woman laughed again, but louder, her laugh was innocent like she heard a joke. "Now who told you that?" she asked.

This question made Wirt sit up and looked at her confused. "No one, but everything points of no way out."

The woman smiled kindly. "Not everything is as it seems," she then motioned to her still out stretched hand.

Wirt looked at her hand. He knew nothing about this woman, but yet he felt like he could trust her. Which was strange, but a good strange, it was nice to have someone not wanting to kill you the moment they see you. At the same time, he didn't know whether to believe her. Wirt didn't want to be given hope just to be let down… or did he? There was still something in Wirt that didn't want to let go, he couldn't explain but there was that 1% of his mind that didn't want to give up. Wirt then made his decision as grabbed her hand and she helped him out of the cocoon. He looked back to see a trunk of an edelwood tree with only small branches sprouting out at the top.

"So… how do we defeat the Beast?" asked Wirt as he turned her. Giving her now a better look and noticed the gem on her stomach. Why did that gem look familiar to him, he could guess she was a gem from what Steven described, but that gem on her looked very familiar.

"I never said we could defeat the Beast," said the woman.

Wirt looked at her annoyed like he been fooled by a joke he should seen coming. "Then how are we able to get out? He is not going to open the door for us."

"That is true, but no matter what the Beasts does there will always be a small light in his darkness," explained the woman. "Just like in my light there will always be a speck of darkness, neither of us can displace the other. There will always be both."

"Who are you?" asked Wirt not really getting what she was saying.

"My name is Rose Quartz," she said. "but you may know me as Steven's mother."

Wirt's eyes went wide, "You're Stevens mother! But how?! Aren't you suppose to be… well dead?" he asked as he just knew that gem was familiar, it was Stevens! Or well now is Stevens.

"Well isn't the Beast also suppose to be dead?" asked Rose in response.

Wirt didn't know how to respond to that, because it was true. He was suppose to be dead also. "So could at least tell me what is up with this world?" asked Wirt.

"It… is hard to explain, but this is a world separate from your own, my own world and Dipper's world also. It also has different rules," said Rose softly and slowly like she was trying to find the right words. "This world has a light and dark side that has been combating each other for power in this world. The dark side being the Beast and the light side being me. For many centuries this world was in balance until now."

"Ok, so what happened?" asked Wirt

"Bill some how found this world and decided to use influence to tip the balance to the Beast and his favor," explained Rose. "And with their combined powers, not only your world is at stake, but so are Dippers and my own world."

"So basically if we don't stop him it is the end of the world," said Wirt.

Rose nodded. "Most likely," she responded, but smiled. "but that is why I need your help. They thought it would be a wonderful idea to bring you here. They could feed off you to gain more power before they enter your world, but they left the door open for me to bring in my son and your brother along with Mabel and Connie."

"You mean you are the reason they are here?!" asked Wirt upset.

"Yes, I am, but I did that so you wouldn't give up hope," said Rose as she turned to look on the tree. "If you loose hope like you almost did, they would win. You would have been trapped in this tree for forever if I hadn't have found you. I needed you to have a reason to keep going, a reason to not give up hope."

Wirt was quiet for a moment as he then looked at the tree. "I guess you are right… until that moment I was determined to find my brother. I knew he was here somewhere."

"He still is and he is safe. He is with Mabel and Connie, but to get out of here you must reunite with them first," explained Rose. "Then I can lead you out of here."

"But what about the Beast?" asked Wirt.

"We will deal with him once we are all back together," said Rose. "The important thing for right now is reuniting with them."

"If you say so," said Wirt. "But how do we find them? Are you coming with us?"

Rose chuckled. "No I am sorry, I must try to keep the forces of those two at bay so you can find them, but do not worry I have a plan. May I see that lantern?"

"Huh, what? Oh!" said Wirt as he looked down to almost forget that he was still holding it. "Ok." He said handing it to her.

Rose smiled as she took the lantern and held it in her hand. It then started to glow. When the glowing died the lantern was now looked like it was made out of crystal. "This lantern will glow brighter as you get closer to your friends," she said handing him back the lantern.

"Wow, thanks… um Mrs. Quartz?" asked Wirt not sure if he should call her Mrs. Universe or Quartz.

Rose laughed. "Just call me Rose."

"Oh, ok. Rose… uh where are Steven and Dipper?" he asked.

"They are not that far away, but they are in danger," explained Rose as she pointed and a path through the mist appeared. "Follow that path and you will find them."

"What I do when I find them? How are they in danger?" asked Wirt now concerned.

"That lantern is the key, now go! There may be a chance to find them before they find the beast," said Rose.

"The Beast?!" shouted Wirt now very afraid for their safety as he then ran off down the trail.

"Wait! No, I didn't mean THE Beast, it is just a regular-" said Rose but she was too late as he was already gone. "beast." She then sighed. "I probably should have made myself clearer."

A chuckle made Rose turn around to see the Beast. "Well played, I can feel you getting stronger," said the Beast.

"You almost seem happy to say that," said Rose with a smirk.

"Well, it wouldn't be satisfying to defeat you without any resistance," said the Beast as he faded into the mist. "Though in the end, I can't wait to shatter your gem in my hand."

Rose smirked. "And I can't wait to put you back in your place."

 


	12. Chapter 12

"Why did it have to be in a cave," said Steven with a sigh. They finally tracked down the creature to yet another cave. Though there was metal what looked like panels along with beams sticking out of the ground. Along with a wooden frame that was supporting the entrance of the cave.

"I know, but lets just sneak in there, find Wirt and get out," said Dipper.

"I don't know, may be we are wrong!" said Steven scarred, having second thoughts now. "May be Wirt is somewhere else in the fog!"

Dipper looked at him "Really?" he asked.

"Sorry, I am just a bit scarred, I know we have to save him, but at least last time the monsters were just a illusion," said Steven looking down his cheeks a bit flushed.

"Hey, don't worry," reassured Dipper. "We are going in together and we also have a shield."

"Yeah… lets just make sure to be careful," said Steven with a small smile comforted a bit by his words. Though Steven knew by the look on Dippers face he was scarred too. Steven squeezed his hand a bit as they were still holding hands to try to help comfort him too.

Though Dipper still didn't really approve of holding hands with him, he did feel a bit comforted by it. Dipper gave him a small smile back. "Alright lets go in."

Steven nodded as they both stood up, his shield up in front of them while cautiously entered the cave. The cave was obviously once used, with railway tracks, wooden arches. "It looks like this use to be a mining cave," commented Steven.

"Yeah, but this can be a good thing! May be we will find a pick axe or something we can use as a weapon," said Dipper now looking around as the shield softly illuminated the dark shaft. He prayed they could find some sort of weapon, at least they would have some chance of defeating the monster if they ran into it.

"Good idea," said Steven but he was more focused on making sure the monster didn't sneak up on them. He was constantly looking over his shoulder as they descend down into the cave. It had been eerily silent, well other than the sound of their footsteps. They then got to a giant cavern, but it didn't have the multiple tracks leading to the middle of it and a spinning part in the middle let different carts go to different tracks like normal old mining shafts do. It actually looked like an abandoned lab. The caverns floor was metal while multiple machines on the walls connected to a single broken tube in the middle of the room, though there were some entrances to three other tunnels.

"Well this isn't what I expected," commented Dipper going over to one of the machines. It was rusted from head to toe, but there were definite claw marks raking it.

"Yeah I thought it would be more… miney," said Steven letting go of his hand to inspect the tube in the middle broken tube, but Dipper was right behind him.

"This… feels familiar…" said Dipper noticing something must of broken out of the tube since there was a giant whole busted through the glass. "but… I can't put my finger on it."

Steven couldn't think of a response as he looked around the room again looking out for the monster. Then he heard something, "Did you hear that?" asked Steven a shiver running down his back.

"Hear what?" asked Dipper his voice scarred.

The room went quiet again as they tried to hear the noise. "That!" said Steven as a louder what sounded like moan coming from one of the tunnels.

"Wirt!" called out Dipper as they both cautiously went over to the tunnel where they heard the moan. The moaning then became louder, the cavern making it echo as they went over and they gasped as they saw Wirt, his clothes torn, holding a pickaxe and slightly limping.

"Wirt!" said Steven and Dipper together. They were about to run over to him, when a loud voice stopped them.

"STOP!"

Dipper and Steven spun around to see another Wirt. This Wirt was not injured and he was holding a lantern. He looked surprised when he saw the other injured Wirt. They were all speechless for a minute, then one of the Wirts spoke.

"Just back away slowly guys. It's a monster in disguise," said the non injured Wirt.

"The only monster here is you!" said the injured Wirt pointing at the other Wirt. "That thing almost killed me!"

"He is lying, I am the real Wirt guys!"

"Oh come on, you're an obvious fake! You have not even a scratch on you!"

"I now remember why this seemed familiar," stated Dipper as he looked back and forth at the two Wirts. "Shape shifter." He then sighed. "Great how do we know which one is lying?!" Last time he was in this situation with Wendy he could easily tell which one was the fake, but this was different. They were still getting to know each other.

"Don't worry guys," said the non injured Wirt as he held up his lantern. Its light then shown on the injured Wirt and they all gasped. The light showed a pure white deformed body with four legs. Wirth then shown light on his face which showed large pink eyes with long snout with fangs at the end.

The creature then growled and transformed back to it's normal form. "Run!" shouted Dipper. The creature screeched and jumped at them, Steven's shield expanded so it would protect him and Dipper. The creature kept trying to get at them with its deformed hands, but Steven pushed it back and hit it with his shield stunning it for a minute giving them a chance to run away.

"Where did you get that lantern?!" asked Dipper as they ran his voice on the edge of panic.

"From Steven's mother!" responded Wirt as he could hear the creature running after of them.

"My mom?!" asked Steven shocked as he was running behind them his shield still up.

"Yeah your mom is really nice!" said Wirt as they burst out of the cave. Another screech silenced them as they kept running through the woods. Though Wirt was sure Steven had a lot of questions, though he wouldn't be sure how much he could answer, but he would answer them to the best of his ability. They didn't know how long they were running, but after what seemed like a good amount of time he looked back. "I think we are ok now…" they then simultaneously started to slow down to a walk then stopped. For a while there was only the sound of panting and fast beating hearts, then Steven broke the silence.

"My mom is dead," said Steven bluntly. "How can you have seen her, when she isn't even alive?!"

"I know it is difficult to believe… but by all accounts the Beast from my world should be dead and I have seen him multiple times here! And I have to say I was absolutely terrified when I first saw him! I was terrified every single time I met him! But this world… the rules of nature have changed. They can come back… He has come back… It's terrifying! That thing has been the nightmares ever since I left the Unknown... It took me weeks for him to even get out of my normal dreams! I couldn't sleep for so long because he plagued me... Even though I knew he was gone! Everyone was gone! I was back to my normal life, normal school, normal... Everything! I was safe... But yet never truly, he was still there lurking, still alive in the darkness of my nightmares, my dreams... And now that I am here and he is actually come back... It's like I am in my own nightmares... and it is terrifying..." Wirt looked at them. His voices as full of worry and fear as he ranted. He didn't mean to go on a rant, but it sort of ended up that way. He just wanted to get the point across that this was happening, or getting all his fear and anxiety he had been holding in for so long. It was probably both.

Steven and Dipper didn't know how to react at first. Dipper knew he wasn't really expressive about his fears either about being here and knowing his own demon was hunting them. So he could understand what looked to be to him a mini break down. He probably needed one himself to get everything off his chest.

"Then… why hasn't she visited me…" Steven finally responded. If there wasn't a silence before there sure was one now, Steven couldn't look at the moment he was on the verge of tears. The only time he had been even relatively close to meeting his mother was in the dream he had when he first got here and it had only been her voice, but if she was here why didn't she visited him?

"I… don't know Steven…" responded Wirt as he then looked down at the lantern Rose gave him. "I can't answer that, but I owe her for sure…" he then gripped the lantern more tightly. "we can get through this. She said that this lantern will lead us to our siblings and friend."

"And to the exit?" asked Dipper hopefully.

"No or at least I don't think, but she said we first need to find them first," explained Wirt. He then spun around slowly judging the brightness of the light coming from the lantern.

"What are you doing?" asked Dipper.

"Rose said the brighter the lantern is the closer we are to our friends, so it is basically a game of hot and cold," explained Wirt then stopped as he could tell the lantern was glowing brighter one way, then started walking toward that direction. "This way."


	13. Chapter 13

            “Well I am glad we are out of the woods for at least a while, but I don’t like all these small ponds,” thought Dipper as the lantern led them to this large valley filled with small ponds clumped together. The narrow rounded paths around the ponds made it hard to judge which way they should be going. In the forest they could at least go in the direct route, but now with the ponds in the way it made their game of hot-cold even harder.

            Dipper could tell that Wirt was beginning to be frustrated also as he kept stopping and going trying to find the best route. Wirt’s quiet mix of sighs and grunts were signs he was trying to keep his frustration inside him. “Hey if you need a break we can stop and rest,” said Dipper.

            “No, no I got this. We should be out of this valley soon,” Wirt responded as his frustration was also coupled by stubbornness.

            His stubbornness reminded Dipper of himself. He remembered the time that he tried to figure out of the passcode to McGuckets laptop and how his stubbornness forced his body to stay away for days trying to figure it out. This led him to making the bad decision of making a deal with Bill. Dipper would hate for Wirt to make a bad decision out of frustration and stubbornness. “Are you sure man, I mean you seem a bit tense.”

            “I am fine,” responded Wirt annoyance in his voice.

            “I agree with Wirt, you have been working hard and even though that is important, relaxing and feeling good is important too,” encouraged Steven.

Wirt sighed again as he started walking backward as he spoke. “Guys, I am fine I might seem a bit tense, but we finally have a tool to get out of here! We can’t just stop now and even if we wanted to rest there is no place to do. I mean a bench isn’t going to pop out of no whe-!” He then shouted as he hit something, but his momentum made him not stop and did a back flip over the object and rolled down into one of the pools. The water was freezing as goose bumps covered his body, but was quickly able to recover and not roll into the deeper parts of the pool. Wirt crawled out of the pool and looked up to see a metal bench next to a large blue flower.

            “Are you alright?!” asked Steven running over to help him up.

            “Yeah, but my back hurts now,” said Wirt.

            “Well, at least now we have a bench,” said Steven with a smile leading him back to the bench.

Wirt sighed as he went over and sit on the bench, though he froze for a couple seconds because how cold the bench was, though him being soaking wet did not help (as well as his sore lower back). Dipper meanwhile was examining the large flower. It was tall as him and the flower was a bit bigger than his head. It was also blue all over, unlike other flowers, which have green stems, this flowers stem was blue too, but what was more strange was it was glowing. “I never seen a flower like this before, it almost looks like it is radioactive,” said Dipper before going over to sit down with them.

            _“I never seen a flower like this before, it almost looks like it is radioactive.”_

            Dipper stopped in his tracks, he was about to sit down, but then turned around. “Did you guys hear that?”

            “Hear what?” asked Wirt.

Dipper was about to respond before he was interrupted.

            _“Did you guys here that?”_

            “Yeah you just said that, what did you here?” answered Steven now looking at him concerned.

            “That wasn’t me… be quiet for a second,” said Wirt now walking back toward the flower. The group was silent as they watched him walk toward the flower. Dipper stopped and listened eyeing the blue flower.

            _“That wasn’t me… be quiet for a second.”_ The flower repeated and Dipper smiled at his newfound discovery.

            “It speaks!” shouted Dipper.

            _“It speaks!”_ the flower repeated.

            “Well not really speaks, more repeats but still cool right?” asked Dipper.

            _“Well not really speaks, more repeats but still cool right?”_

            “Yeah, let me try!” said Steven going over to the flower. He then cleared his throat. “Steven is the best!”

            _“Steven is the best!”_ the flower echoed his voice perfectly just like Dippers.

            “This is awesome!” said Steven

            _“This is awesome!”_

            “I know right?”

            _“I know right?”_

            “But world does it comes from?” asked Steven “You said you never seen a flower like this before.”

            _“But world does it comes from? You said you never seen a flower like this before.”_

            “Well it isn’t from my world,” said Wirt “And if it isn’t from either of yours… I guess it is from this world.”

            “But… that doesn’t seem right…” said Dipper.

            _“But… that doesn’t seem right…”_

            “Ok I can see this thing becoming annoying…” said Dipper

            _“Ok I can see this thing becoming annoying…”_

            “Stop that,” said Dipper.

            _“Stop that.”_

Dipper sighed as the flower yet again echoed him, which made Steven chuckle. “I don’t know I think it is sort of funny.”

            _“I don’t know I think it is sort of funny.”_

            “See even the flower agrees with me,” said Steven.

            “Steven it just repeats whatever you say,” said Dipper.

            _“Steven it just repeats whatever you say.”_

Dipper sighed again as he then grabbed Steven’s wrist and dragged him away from the flower back to the bench. Though this was a major discovery, he was now getting tired of the repeating flower.

            “Aw come on, it wasn’t that bad,” said Steven.

            “May be to you, but when you have a sister that does that to you every single day it can become annoying,” said Dipper.

            “I can relate,” thought Wirt as he thought of the annoying stuff his brother loves doing to him, even though most of the time he doesn’t not even know he was doing it.

            “But even though it is annoying this is cool. We haven’t seen any really plants out of the ordinary I mean if we were to see anything strange it would be from one of our worlds but this one doesn’t belong to any of ours…” Dipper analyzed the plant.

            “But all the more reason why we should probably keep moving… I mean everything else wants to kill us and even though it seems harmless… I do not trust it,” said Wirt standing up lifting up the lantern still grasped in his hand.

            “You do have a point…” said Dipper now having second thoughts.

            “Come on,” said Wirt as he then started to walk away. Dipper quickly followed him, but Steven looked back at the flower before following them the voice quickly fading away, but it was still repeating the last thing it heard.

_“Steven it just repeats whatever you say.”_

_“Steven it just repeats whatever you say.”_

_“Steven it just repeats whatever you say.”_

_“Steven it just repeats whatever you say.”_

_“Steven it just repeats whatever you say.”_

_“Steven it just repeats whatever you say.”_

_“Steven it-“_

_“Steven“_

_“Steven”_

_“Ste“_

_“_ _I am so close...”_


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic isn't dead! Just sleeping. I just been through spurts of inspiration for other writing and have gotten distracted and sorry if this chapter is extremely short, but I am working on the next one!

            “It’s happening again,” said the Beast with a growl of annoyance.

            “Yeah I feel it too,” said Bill “I can’t even sense either of them now, but from the last point of reference they are close, both are very close. We should get ready.”

            “Yes, but these… gaps in the world… they concern me,” commented the Beast. “They were there before, but how can they go through them while we can’t even see them, let alone touch them?”

            “As much as I don’t like it, it at least means she can’t get to them either for now,” said Bill.

            “True, but I am more worried about them not making it out,” said the Beast.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! The next chapter! Sorry for the long wait, but I been doing the NANOWRIMO challenge for this month for another story.

As the group continued onward the strange blue flower that found before started appearing more in the valley. It started with a stray blue flower, but then there were two, three, four, then they found themselves in a mix of flowers and ponds. Steven wondered if he would say something it would cause a chain reaction of repeating words from the flowers, but decided to not act on his thoughts. Even though it was very tempting to Steven. However he could notice his friends discomfort, is this another trap? Would probably be their thoughts right now, but all these flowers just repeated what they said. They could not do any harm, but… Steven looked at the ponds, they seem crystal clear, yet the bottom was dark like it was leading down to somewhere else. May be it led down to some caverns? But all these ponds couldn’t lead down to caves… right?

            A chill up his spine and Steven froze in his tracks. “You ok?” asked Dipper turning to him.

            “Did… you hear that?” asked Steven.

The other boys froze. “Hear what?” asked Wirt concerned.

            “A voice, I couldn’t hear what it said, but…” said Steven as he cupped his hands around his ears in a effort to try to hear the voice again, but Wirt quickly grabbed Stevens arm and started dragging him.

            “Lets keep moving,” instructed Wirt as Dipper only nodded in agreement.

Steven wanted to say something, but their instincts were probably right. It was probably a trap and they need to keep moving to avoid it. Steven however still looked around trying to pinpoint where he heard the words come from, was it the flowers? No, they could only repeat what you say.

            “Dark…”

A chill went up Stevens spine as he definably heard that. However the other two boys seemed to not hear, or if they did they chose to kept walking.

            “The darkness keeps growing.”

            “Guys,” said Steven as the voice grew louder and now he could pinpoint where it was coming from, it was coming from the blue flowers.

            “Keep moving,” instructed Wirt again more serious than before.

            “The shadows cutting deeper!”

The flowers almost seemed to be chanting the words now. All of them were talking at once and loudly. “Darker!” “Dark!” “No escape!” “Escape!” “Need!” “Yet darker!” “Help! Help!” “Mistake!” “Sorry!” “I tried!” “I must!” “I need!” “Has to, needs to!” “What do you two think?!” “Interesting!” “Seventeen!” “Dark, darker, yet darker!”

The boys were at a full run now as so many messages were shouting at him. Some of the sentences and words could be heard other seemed to be lost in the mix of shouts. “What did they mean though?” thought Steven as he kept up pace with the other two. He wanted to hear what the voices were saying. They all seemed to come from one person, but… this person seemed to be struggling. They needed help.

            “Were we the only ones that been here?” thought Steven, then suddenly silence, a terrifying silence. The soft thuds of their running and heavy breaths were the only sound. It reminded him of… His thought was cut off as his thoughts were now on the creature that leapt out of the water in front of them. Screams filled the air as they dodged to the side as the creature tried to attack them and slid into another pond.

            “This way!” shouted Wirt pulling him and Dipper up. The light led the way, but their eyes were constantly trying to predict the creature’s attack. Its body was semi-solid, taking the form of a person, however it seemed like it was melting. It’s black coloration made it hard to see since the darkness of the ponds bottom camouflaged it. Steven had a suspicion that these pools were all connected as the creature tried to attack them again, but missed. “What is that thing?!” shouted Dipper as they ran.

            “I don’t know!” said Wirt and Steven in unison.

            “It does not look like a gem, not even a corrupted one!” said Steven making them stop for a second as he predicted the creatures movement as it flew past them and back into another pool. “We need to get out of here!”

            “I know! I know!” shouted Wirt then dragging them as the lantern led the way. Out of the corner of Steven’s eye he caught something, one of the ponds flashing. “What is that?” thought Steven as the creature seemed to not be attacking them any more. Seeing a tree line in the distance the group exhaled in unison and they rushed back into the woods.


End file.
